Parts of California no longer in drought after massive storms
Jack Birle
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Parts of California are no longer in a drought after an extremely wet start to 2023 for the Golden State.
The Sierra Nevada mountains and the foothill areas of the mountain are now free from drought for the first time since January 2020, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
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“The rain has improved California soil moisture and streamflow levels, while the snow has increased mountain snowpack to much above-normal levels,” the report said.
“Most California reservoirs have refilled with water levels near or above average, but groundwater levels remain low and may take months to recover. Abnormal dryness and moderate to severe drought were contracted across much of California to reflect the above-normal precipitation of recent months, above-normal snowpack, and improved reservoir levels,” the report added.
The report also concluded the continued storms over the past week have caused the improved drought conditions and reservoir levels.
The percentage of the state in a drought, 49.1%, is the lowest figure since July 21, 2020.
In January, officials were optimistic about early rain totals, saying it was a positive development, but had not moved the state out of its drought. Two months later, the continued rain has elevated the entire state out of extreme and exceptional drought levels. The next crucial measurement by the state’s Department of Water Resources will be April 1.
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Residents of the Golden State are still facing dangerous conditions in the aftermath of the historic amount of snow dropped on California, with several rural communities being trapped due to heavy amounts of precipitation closing roads and stores.
The severe weather caused rare snow sightings in some communities in Southern California, causing Los Angeles County to be placed under a blizzard warning for the first time since 1989. Extreme weather continued to threaten the rest of the country throughout the week, with as many as 90 million people being placed under winter weather warnings nationwide.