We do need rain, and snow in the Sierras where a large portion of the state's population gets its water. I'm in Santa Barbara right now and it is really coming down, the street on one side of the building is getting so flooded that everyone who parked there had to move their car because the water is several inches deep. Fortunately my car is safe in the parking lot.

Right now I'm trying to figure out if the 101 (my way home) is closed at the Gaviota pass, which is notorious for mud and rockslides. According to the CHP website it was closed a couple hours ago.