Monitor says California free of drought after 376 consecutive weeks
For the first time since Dec. 20, 2011, California is free of drought. The state had experienced some form of drought for 376 consecutive weeks. March 14, 2019 Photo: @DroughtCenter
LOS ANGELES (AP) - California is free of drought and only a small amount of territory remains in the lesser condition of abnormal dryness after a very wet winter.
The U.S. Drought Monitor says Thursday that more than 93 percent of the state is free of drought or dryness. "For the first time since Dec. 20, 2011, California is free of drought," the Drought Monitor tweeted. "The state had experienced some form of drought for 376 weeks.
Tiny areas of abnormal dryness along the Oregon border and in parts of four southern counties amount to less than 7 percent of the state.
The Drought Monitor says the conditions in the far south are due to very dry prior years, noting that reservoirs in San Diego County are at only 65 percent of capacity.