California is Entirely Free of Drought for the First Instance in 25 Years.
Following 25 long years, every region of California is enduring drought conditions. This landmark event comes on the heels of challenging years marked by below-average rain that worsened blaze threats and challenged its massive agricultural sector.
An Update Shows An Absence of Abnormally Dry Areas
Thursday's report from the U.S. Drought Monitor confirmed that all of California is without drought or abnormal dryness. This development was driven by multiple heavy precipitation that helped fill water storage sites like Shasta and Oroville exceeding their long-term norms.
“For anyone 25 or under you’ve always lived in a world where California has been in or emerging from drought,” stated a local meteorologist.
After Severe Systems to Wet Holidays
The journey here involved severe and lethal winter storms that struck the state in the not-too-distant past, causing extensive inundation, blackouts, and tragic losses. Even though those events started to mitigate the drought, they weren't enough to erase it completely.
Even into late December, regions like the state's northeast corner were still classified as unusually parched. Substantial precipitation at the beginning of January eliminated those last vestiges of dryness.
A Crucial Snowpack Remains a Concern
But, authorities caution that drought-free conditions should not be confused with being out of the woods. Latest data of the high-elevation snow indicate it is only about 70% of the historical norm.
This frozen reservoir, which provides a significant portion of the state's water supply as it runs off, is a critical factor for long-term water security. Water officials stress that it is premature to make predictions for the annual water supply.
“The trend we’re looking at right now is increased rainfall over snowfall,” explained a state water resources manager. “Our hope is for the snow accumulation to increase by 1 April so that we’re closer to average.”
While the drought map is entirely green, the focus now shifts to preserving this hard-won hydrological health throughout the months to come.
