🔗 Share this article California is Completely Drought-Free for the First Instance in Two and a Half Decades. After a quarter-century span, no portion of the state is experiencing water scarcity. This milestone arrives after grueling years marked by below-average rain that exacerbated fire dangers and pressured its huge agribusiness. A Map Indicates Zero Drought Thursday's report from the federal monitoring program confirmed that California in its entirety is free from any level of drought. This change was driven by a period of significant storms that helped fill major reservoirs like the state's largest lakes well above their typical levels. “To those aged 25 and below you’ve always lived in a world where California has been entering or recovering from drought,” remarked a weather expert. After Severe Systems to Wet Holidays The path to this point featured severe and lethal winter storms that battered the state in recent years, leading to extensive inundation, electrical failures, and deaths. Although that weather helped ease the drought, they fell short of ending it. As late as late December, regions like the state's northeast corner were still classified as abnormally dry. Heavy rains at the beginning of January washed away those final dry conditions. The Vital Sierra Snow Is Below Average But, authorities caution that drought-free conditions should not be confused with complete water security. Current readings of the mountain snow accumulation indicate it is approximately 70 percent of the historical norm. This snowpack, which provides about a third of the state's water as it runs off, is a critical factor for long-term water security. Water officials point out that it is premature to make predictions for the annual water supply. “The current pattern right now is increased rainfall over snowfall,” commented a state water resources manager. “We’d like to see the snow accumulation to increase by April 1st so that we’re closer to average.” Although the monitor indicates no dryness, the next challenge is to sustaining this hard-won hydrological health for the rest of the year.
After a quarter-century span, no portion of the state is experiencing water scarcity. This milestone arrives after grueling years marked by below-average rain that exacerbated fire dangers and pressured its huge agribusiness. A Map Indicates Zero Drought Thursday's report from the federal monitoring program confirmed that California in its entirety is free from any level of drought. This change was driven by a period of significant storms that helped fill major reservoirs like the state's largest lakes well above their typical levels. “To those aged 25 and below you’ve always lived in a world where California has been entering or recovering from drought,” remarked a weather expert. After Severe Systems to Wet Holidays The path to this point featured severe and lethal winter storms that battered the state in recent years, leading to extensive inundation, electrical failures, and deaths. Although that weather helped ease the drought, they fell short of ending it. As late as late December, regions like the state's northeast corner were still classified as abnormally dry. Heavy rains at the beginning of January washed away those final dry conditions. The Vital Sierra Snow Is Below Average But, authorities caution that drought-free conditions should not be confused with complete water security. Current readings of the mountain snow accumulation indicate it is approximately 70 percent of the historical norm. This snowpack, which provides about a third of the state's water as it runs off, is a critical factor for long-term water security. Water officials point out that it is premature to make predictions for the annual water supply. “The current pattern right now is increased rainfall over snowfall,” commented a state water resources manager. “We’d like to see the snow accumulation to increase by April 1st so that we’re closer to average.” Although the monitor indicates no dryness, the next challenge is to sustaining this hard-won hydrological health for the rest of the year.