In October, nearly 41 percent of California was in 'extreme' drought. Here's a look at what has changed since then.
California has spent most of the last 15 years in drought conditions. The current three-year dry spell included one of the driest late winters on record.
The state's normal wet season runs from late fall to the end of winter, but dismal precipitation left about 95 percent of California in severe drought at the start of spring. By September, nearly all of California was in drought. Much of California’s water comes from melting snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In an ideal scenario, storms blanket the mountains with snow during winter, building up the natural reservoir. That snow then melts in late spring and early summer, replenishing the state's water system. Snowpack was far below normal in Spring 2022.
California recorded its driest first three months of the year on record to start 2022. The dry stretch followed a promising December when storms drenched parts of the state and brought snow to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. But late fall storms brought reason for optimism. California's statewide snowpack level was more than 200 percent above normal in mid-December after powerful December storms blanketed the Sierra Nevada Mountains with snow.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Extreme' drought completely eliminated in California; Colorado River Basin lags behindNEW YORK — 'Extreme' drought has been completely eliminated in California for the first time in nearly three years, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Read more »
'Extreme' drought completely eliminated in California; Colorado River Basin lags behind'Extreme' drought has been completely eliminated in California for the first time in nearly three years, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Read more »
Extreme drought eliminated across CA as state shows continued improvementThe latest drought monitor shows continued improvement across California, but it's still 'too early to tell if the wet weather is enough to end the drought.'
Read more »
California's atmospheric river storms mean managing floods in a time of droughtCalifornia's water management officials are rushing to capture as much runoff as possible from the state's weeks-long atmospheric river storms in an attempt to alleviate water supply concerns stemming from the ongoing megadrought.
Read more »