California drought outlook improves after weeks of historic storms
No, California’s drought is not over, not by a long shot. But weeks of near-constant rainfall have improved the situation considerably, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly report released Thursday. The map updated Thursday shows most of the state in moderate or severe drought after about seven atmospheric river storms swept through the state since Christmas Day. Only a small portion in the extreme northeastern portion of the state remains in extreme drought, while the northwestern corner of the state and much of Imperial County dropped to the lowest level of drought, termed abnormally dry. The Sacramento and Central valleys, which were in extreme and extraordinary drought just three months ago, have seen conditions improve to severe.
Related articles:
- Sacramento Bee: California reservoirs and snowpack see big boosts as storms ease drought conditions
- Los Angeles Times: Nearly all of California exits the worst drought categories in U.S. Drought Monitor
- San Francisco Chronicle: Is California still in drought after storms? What maps and charts show
- Los Angeles Times: How California’s slew of storms stack up to previous drought-busters