California Could Get Up to 15 Feet of Snow This Week

California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains could see more than 10 feet of snow this week as several storms approach the mountain range.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued winter storm warnings in several parts of the state including the Lake Tahoe area, Mono County and the stretch of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Yosemite to Kings Canyon. The NWS has also warned of rain and flooding at lower elevations.

The region has received unexpectedly high levels of snow this year with the snowpack already several inches above average. The news has given California some reason for optimism that this year’s precipitation could break the state’s years-long drought.

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Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com.