After Wet Winter, California Drought-Free For 1st Time Since 2011
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF / 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 National Drought Mitigation Center says the state is free of drought for the first time since Dec. 20, 2011.
The center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says Thursday that California experienced some form of drought for 376 consecutive 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.
After heavy snow early this week in Southern California mountains, weather is expected to warm under influence of Santa Ana winds before another storm approaches the state next week.
© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
