Storm visits LA, dumps rain and snow on Northern California

It's only been a drizzle, but any rain that falls in Los Angeles is a big deal these days. What with new water restrictions, a pitiful snowpack and all-around drought-induced angst in California, the precipitation that fell across the state Friday and Saturday was a very welcome surprise.

A brief storm hit Northern California Friday night, dumping about an inch of rain in Sacramento and more than a foot of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe, the National Weather Service reported.

Sadly, the briefly inclement weather is not expected to last long.

"It may stick around for a couple of days. But it won't be around for too terribly long, unfortunately," National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Dang told the Associated Press Saturday.

"That being said, the water will stick around in the reservoirs, which is encouraging," he added.

Encouraging - maybe - but we've yet to see if that foot of snow will even make a dent in the snowpack shortage reported earlier this month.

According to the California Department of Water Resources, the snowpack measurement in the Sierra Nevadas for April - usually the time when the amount is at its peak - was the lowest in recorded history. Snow levels were only at 6 percent of the average.

Information as of March 30, 2015. Source: California Department of Water Resources

The National Weather Service issued a high wind advisory for the mountains around L.A. and Ventura counties that will be in effect until 9 p.m. Saturday.

As Angelenos are wont to do during these increasingly rare occurrences, they took to social media to show their appreciation for the rain, little as there may be this time.

Even our pal @LosAngelesRain is getting some love.

https://twitter.com/may_gun/status/592080931902500865

https://twitter.com/LosAngelesRain/status/592084356849532928

Sunny skies are expected to return Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service forecast.