Drought dwindles to less than 9% of California after epic winter storms
SACRAMENTO -- Only remnants of California's three-year drought remain after winter's epic storms.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday that areas of drought cover less than 9% of the state, down from more than 99% at the Oct. 1 start of the water year.
"One year ago, every single square inch of California was in "moderate drought" or worse. Now it's less than 10%," tweeted KPIX chief meteorologist Paul Heggen.
One year ago, every single square inch of California was in “moderate drought” or worse. Now it’s less than 10%. pic.twitter.com/Y4KaEgMQeD
— Paul Heggen (@PaulKPIX) April 13, 2023
Those areas, in the far north and southeast, are surrounded by areas of abnormal dryness amounting to just over 25% of the state.
California's winter was marked by numerous atmospheric rivers that dumped enormous amounts of rain and blanketed mountains with an extraordinary snowpack.
According to the latest measurement by the California Department of Water Resources, the Sierra Nevada snowpack was at 237% of average as of April 1, only the fourth time in state history where the snowpack measurements exceeded 200% of average.