Record Wet Winter Pulls California Out Of Drought

LOS ANGELES, CA — Oh, what a difference an atmospheric river makes! In the course of just three rainy months, the entire state of California went from drought status to 67 percent drought-free, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Following the most devastating wildfire season in state history, no part of the Golden state was left untouched by dry or drought conditions in 2018, but an exceptionally wet winter that shows little sign of abating, has left much of the state entirely free from dry conditions.

Though the extensive rainfall that washed over the state in early February brought floods and mudslides, the deluge hit exactly where it was needed. Parched Southern California saw rainfall and snow at above-average levels - even Los Angeles beaches experience rare snowfall this week. And the Sierra Nevada snowpack — the key to California’s water supply — has seen record snowfall for February, reported The Mercury News. By this week, Tahoe was blanketed under 20 feet of snow, and Southern Sierra Nevada was at nearly 150 percent of average for this time of year.

Ski resorts from Big Bear to Mammoth and Tahoe were forced to close at various points because of powerful snowstorms in February. If the snowpack lasts well into the spring, the state’s water supply will be in solid shape for the the year.

“The recent storms put a lot of snow at low elevations up in the Sierra. A lot of snow is very good for the water supply and outlook for the year," said Doug DeFlitch, Chief Operating Officer for the Friant Water Authority told ABC Action News.