🔗 Share this article The Golden State is Entirely Free of Drought for the First Time in a Quarter Century. Following 25 long years, every region of the state is facing drought conditions. This milestone arrives after challenging years marked by a lack of precipitation that intensified wildfire risks and challenged its massive agricultural sector. A Chart Shows An Absence of Dryness Thursday's report from the U.S. Drought Monitor illustrated that all of California is free from dry or drought conditions. This development came after a period of heavy precipitation that helped fill water storage sites like Shasta and Oroville well above their historic averages. “For anyone 25 or under you’ve spent your life in a world where California has been entering or recovering from drought,” noted a climate scientist. After Severe Systems to Wet Holidays The journey here featured severe and lethal winter storms that battered the state in the not-too-distant past, leading to widespread flooding, blackouts, and fatalities. Although that weather helped ease the drought, they did not eliminate it. Until late December, pockets like northeastern California were considered abnormally dry. Heavy rains at the start of the new year washed away those last vestiges of dryness. A Crucial Snowpack Presents a Challenge But, hydrologists note that being out of drought should not be confused with complete water security. Recent measurements of the high-elevation snow place it at only about 70% of the typical level. This snowpack, which provides about a third of the state's water supply as it runs off, is an essential component for the year ahead. Hydrology managers stress that it is too early to determine the outlook for the annual water supply. “The trend we’re looking at right now is increased rainfall over snowfall,” commented a California water official. “Our hope is for the snow accumulation to pick up by 1 April so that we’re nearer to normal.” While the drought map indicates no dryness, attention turns to maintaining this precious water balance for the months to come.
Following 25 long years, every region of the state is facing drought conditions. This milestone arrives after challenging years marked by a lack of precipitation that intensified wildfire risks and challenged its massive agricultural sector. A Chart Shows An Absence of Dryness Thursday's report from the U.S. Drought Monitor illustrated that all of California is free from dry or drought conditions. This development came after a period of heavy precipitation that helped fill water storage sites like Shasta and Oroville well above their historic averages. “For anyone 25 or under you’ve spent your life in a world where California has been entering or recovering from drought,” noted a climate scientist. After Severe Systems to Wet Holidays The journey here featured severe and lethal winter storms that battered the state in the not-too-distant past, leading to widespread flooding, blackouts, and fatalities. Although that weather helped ease the drought, they did not eliminate it. Until late December, pockets like northeastern California were considered abnormally dry. Heavy rains at the start of the new year washed away those last vestiges of dryness. A Crucial Snowpack Presents a Challenge But, hydrologists note that being out of drought should not be confused with complete water security. Recent measurements of the high-elevation snow place it at only about 70% of the typical level. This snowpack, which provides about a third of the state's water supply as it runs off, is an essential component for the year ahead. Hydrology managers stress that it is too early to determine the outlook for the annual water supply. “The trend we’re looking at right now is increased rainfall over snowfall,” commented a California water official. “Our hope is for the snow accumulation to pick up by 1 April so that we’re nearer to normal.” While the drought map indicates no dryness, attention turns to maintaining this precious water balance for the months to come.