For the first time in five months, a majority of California is no longer considered to be in an exceptional drought, the most severe level possible under federal guidelines, according to the the U.S. Drought Monitor. “The wet weather finally allowed ample runoff (while producing stream and river flooding) that raised major reservoir levels…in most of northern and central California,” said the report issued Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Cautious optimism, but still a long way to go’ would be the very short summary for this week’s California drought picture,” the report said.
But the entire state remains in some degree of drought and about 78 percent is in “extreme” drought, the second-highest category there is, the report said, according to The Times. In addition, the state’s major reservoir capacities are still below normal.
California must experience three seasons of above-average rainfall to get back to a “manageable situation,” Jay Famiglietti, senior water cycle scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge, said in remarks reported by The Times.
