Up: California’s snowpack
What a difference a month makes. December’s record snowfall provided a bounty for the drought-weary Golden State’s water supply, as the season’s first monthly measurement of California’s snowpack registered at 160% of normal. More than 200 inches of snow in the Sierra Nevada this month shattered the previous record of 179 inches in December 1970 and marks the third snowiest month on record.
Down: New wave of COVID cases
The highly contagious omicron variant slammed California just before the holidays, canceling holiday gathering, sporting events and New Year’s festivities and turning at-home COVID tests into the season’s most-sought-after stocking stuffer. Next up: How will schools and offices cope as they re-open after winter break?
Sideways: Minimum wage hike
California’s minimum wage jumped Saturday to $15 for businesses with at least 26 employees — more than double the federal minimum — and topped $17 in some Bay Area cities. But impacts of inflation are biting into the benefits.