The Golden State is Fully Free of Drought for the First Time in 25 Years.
After a quarter-century span, not a single part of the state is facing water scarcity. This milestone follows grueling years marked by below-average rain that worsened fire dangers and pressured its huge agribusiness.
An Update Shows Zero Drought
The latest assessment from the national drought tracker confirmed that California in its entirety is free from any level of drought. This change was driven by weeks of above-normal rainfall that replenished key lakes like Oroville and Shasta far beyond their historic averages.
“To those aged 25 and below you’ve only known in a world where California has been in or emerging from drought,” noted a local meteorologist.
After Severe Systems to Rainy Seasons
Achieving this status included intense and deadly winter storms that struck the state in the not-too-distant past, leading to significant overflow, blackouts, and fatalities. Even though those events helped ease the drought, they did not eliminate it.
Even into late December, pockets like northeastern California were considered experiencing dryness. Substantial precipitation at the start of the new year eliminated those last vestiges of dryness.
A Crucial Snowpack Is Below Average
However, authorities caution that being out of drought is not the same as being out of the woods. Latest data of the high-elevation snow place it at approximately 70 percent of the typical level.
This snowpack, which provides approximately 30% of the state's usable water as it runs off, is an essential component for future water availability. State experts point out that it is premature to make predictions for the months ahead.
“What we are observing right now is more rain than snow,” explained a California water official. “We’d like to see the snow accumulation to pick up by the start of April so that we’re closer to average.”
Although the monitor is entirely green, attention turns to maintaining this positive water situation for the rest of the year.
