Is water rationing on the horizon for California?

The long anticipated El Nino has finally arrived in California, but experts say it may be too little, too late.

El Nino warms patches of the Pacific Ocean and changes weather patterns, often bringing more rain and snow to the west. Experts say this year's storm won't bring us out of a drought because it's too weak and arrived too late in the season.

"This is no El Nino," said Bill Patzert, a researcher at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "This is somewhere between 'El Wimpo' and 'El No Show.' This is definitely a minor signal in the Pacific."

Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows above average temperatures on the surface water of the Pacific Ocean along the equator. That qualifies as an El Nino, but scientists say it won't have a big effect on our weather.

"January was disappointing. February was disappointing. So far in March, there is nothing on the horizon. By that time (March), for all practical purposes, the rainy season is kaput," Patzert said.

Last year, some experts were hoping that El Nino would help the southwestern droughts. So far, though, the snowpack in Northern California looks weak. Despite rains over the last few weeks, California's water situation is still dire.

"The snowpack is less than 20 percent. We're on our knees with this drought. Very soon as we get into the spring and the summer, we're definitely going to be talking about rationing water," Patzert said.