California's Sierra Snowpack Melting Rapidly Amid Heat Wave

A heat wave in California is set to accelerate the melting of the state's historic snowpack, leading to flooding in the San Joaquin Valley and other areas. Flood watches have been posted for parts of the Sierra and western Nevada, with creeks and streams expected to run fast and potentially out of banks. Burned landscapes from recent wildfires could exacerbate the melting, and officials are working to divert water to relieve stress on rivers and protect downstream communities. However, difficult decisions about where to route flood flows may need to be made quickly at the local level.