Framework / Assessment California Forests and Rangelands: 2015 Assessment Summary As the climate naturally varies and is forced by climate change, precipitation amounts and timing are likely to change. Climate change models suggest that, in the future, California will have less winter snow and more rain-on-snow events. Precipitation may also vary spatially compared to its current distribution. Because both natural processes and economic activities depend on a certain range of precipitation amounts and timing, these potentially new conditions could result in both ecosystem and economic disruptions.