Despite Rain, Drought Unchanged In California

The drought remained "unchanged" in California over the past week despite rain in the southern part of the state.

"Across California and the Great Basin, drought remained unchanged as the region continued through its climatologically dry summer season," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor released Sept. 24.

The Drought Monitor intensity levels are Abnormally Dry, Moderate, Severe, Extreme and Exceptional Drought.

The report shows 92 percent of California in severe drought, 71 percent in extreme and 46 percent in exceptional drought.

"Some showers associated with the remnants of Hurricane Linda were noted along the coastal regions of southern California, though the totals (mostly less than 2 inches) were not sufficient to warrant any reductions to the Extreme (D3) to Exceptional (D4) Drought," the report noted.

In Nevada, 76 percent of the state is in severe drought, 37 percent is in extreme and 15 percent is in exceptional drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitor did indicate some slight changes in other parts of the Western U.S.

"The overall trend toward drought persistence continued, though pockets of beneficial rain were noted in the northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest, and lower Four Corners," according to the weekly update. "The west was generally cooler than normal, easing stress on pastures, crops, and livestock."

In the Pacific Northwest, "most of the region’s core Extreme Drought (D3) areas were dry" with 100 percent of Oregon and Washington in moderate and severe drought. Extreme drought covers 67 percent of Oregon and 68 percent of Washington.

 

But unlike Southern California, rain in Washington state helped.

  

"Moderate to heavy rain on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula (2-4 inches, locally more) staved off D3 [Extreme drought] expansion. Farther east, 1 to 3 inches of rain eased drought intensity and coverage over central and southern Idaho, though northern portions of the state remained dry."

 

The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook predicts some improvement in the drought for parts of California.

 

"Likely persistence for the broad area of drought in the northwest and much of California, with some development expected in concert with the favored dryness in the northern Rockies,"according to the report from the NOAA/NWS Climate Prediction Center.

 

"Along the central and southern California coast, and in a broad swath from the Southwest to the Southeast, abundant precipitation, especially later in the period, is expected to bring widespread improvement."