Hola El Niño! Weeks of Storms Hit Drought-Parched California

A strong storm was forecast for Northern California, prompting officials to issue flash flood watches for several rural areas hit by last year’s wildfires

Richard Polich crosses a street in the rain on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, in San Francisco. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

SAN FRANCISCO—Californians who have sharply reduced water use during their four-year drought were warned against reverting to old habits Tuesday, Jan. 5, as the first of several storms spawned by a record-tying El Niño began drenching the state.

The series of storms lining up over the Pacific Ocean was welcome news in California, despite their potential for causing flash floods and mudslides.

California's water deficit is so deep that a 'steady parade of storms' like these will be needed for years to come.