A series of powerful, moisture-laden atmospheric river storms kicked off the new year by dropping significant amounts of rain and snow in the region, making the first weeks of January among some of the most productive periods of water recharge since the start of the water year in October. Parts of San Bernardino have seen more than 14 inches of precipitation in that 3-month span, blanketing nearby mountains with snowfall that will melt slowly to bring a steady flow of water into the valley. The recent storms boosted the water year's recharge totals to 12,654 acre-feet or or 4.1 billion gallons, enough to serve 38,000 households for one year.