Dramatic spike in rain has helped counter California’s extreme drought, data reveals.
The Guardian
Roughly 46% of state remains categorized in ‘severe drought’, a sharp shift from more than 71% just last week
A weeks-long onslaught of heavy rain has made a notable dent in California’s extreme drought, new data shows, even as the state braces for another round of punishing storms with no reprieve in sight until next week.
The storms have killed at least 18 people so far, with more fatalities likely to be confirmed in the coming days. The dramatic increase in precipitation has raised sunken reservoirs and boosted the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada range, putting the state in a much better position to weather warm and dry days that probably lie ahead.
Roughly 46% of California remains categorized in “severe drought” according to the latest assessment released by the US Drought Monitor on Thursday, a sharp shift from more than 71% in the category just last week. Less than 1% was categorized as under “extreme drought”, down from 27% last week.
California’s snowpack, now more than 227% of average for this time of year, is already more robust than where it typically stands by the start of spring, with months still to go in the rainy season. It’s a welcome reprieve, especially since officials, residents, and the state’s sprawling agricultural sector had been bracing for another dry winter and the continuation of devastating drought conditions.
The drought is far from over, however. The storms delivered about 4.7m acre feet of water in just six weeks – enough water to supply 23 million people for a year – and California’s 154 largest reservoirs jumped to 84% of historical average from 67% marked on 1 December. But after years of dryness and climbing temperatures, water resources were drawn low.
