The Golden State is Entirely Drought-Free for the First Time in Two and a Half Decades.

For the first time in 25 years, every region of California is enduring dryness. This milestone comes on the heels of challenging years marked by below-average rain that worsened fire dangers and challenged its massive agricultural sector.

An Update Reveals No Abnormally Dry Areas

A recent update from the federal monitoring program illustrated that California in its entirety is without drought or abnormal dryness. This change resulted from a period of significant storms that helped fill major reservoirs like Shasta and Oroville exceeding their historic averages.

“For anyone 25 or under you’ve only known in a world where California has been entering or recovering from drought,” remarked a climate scientist.

Following Powerful Weather to Wet Holidays

The path to this point featured powerful and fatal winter storms that pummeled the state in the not-too-distant past, causing extensive inundation, blackouts, and deaths. While those storms began to alleviate the drought, they did not eliminate it.

Even into late December, areas like Modoc County were deemed experiencing dryness. Heavy rains at the start of the new year finally erased those last vestiges of dryness.

The Vital Sierra Snow Remains a Concern

However, experts warn that being out of drought should not be confused with being out of the woods. Latest data of the mountain snow accumulation indicate it is roughly seven-tenths of the average for this date.

This mountain snow, which supplies about a third of the state's water supply as it runs off, is a key piece for the year ahead. Water officials have emphasized that it is premature to draw conclusions for the annual water supply.

“The trend we’re looking at right now is more rain than snow,” said a California water official. “Our hope is for the snow accumulation to pick up by 1 April so that we’re closer to average.”

Although the monitor indicates no dryness, attention turns to sustaining this precious water balance throughout the months to come.