The Angelenos’ social networks are full of postcards with snow-capped mountains these days. Behind the iconic Hollywood sign, the San Gabriel Mountains glow white after a rare winter storm. The snow left not only beautiful pictures, but also some hope. The ice is vital for the region to face the summer, a time of high temperatures and water scarcity. After more than two months of weather phenomena, half of California is showing no signs of drought, the extreme condition that has plagued the area for nearly four years.
The Department of Agriculture’s latest report monitoring drought conditions in the country shows the improvement nine consecutive atmospheric fluxes have left in the state. Since late December and for two weeks, low pressure phenomena have brought heavy rains and winds across the state. The weather service calculates that about 121,000 million liters of water fell on the territory in those days. Many regions of the state received nearly their average annual rainfall in about three weeks. The average at the time was just under 30 centimetres, half the amount of liquid that is absorbed in the entire rainy season. The storm cycle also claimed 19 lives, more than any wildfire recorded since 2018.
The map released this Thursday shows that there are two regions that are exempt from drought. This is almost 17% of the territory. One is the Pacific Coast, stretching north from Los Angeles through Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Monterey counties. The other is California’s Central Valley, an area considered the state’s agricultural powerhouse. A week ago, 85% were penalized by the dry phenomenon. Three months ago the situation was even worse. This continued throughout the area. At least 40% of the country was in extreme and exceptional conditions. Today these levels, the most severe of the six, no longer exist.
Another unusual picture: The Los Angeles River is filled with water this March 1 after several days of rain. ETIENNE LAURENT (EFE)
However, 83% of California falls within the first tier of the drought monitor, which sees land conditions as unusually dry. Of these, 49% suffer from moderate drought. “The changes are incredible. Not just compared to last week, but also compared to December 2022,” Brad Purgh, one of the authors of the periodic report, told press.
The situation may change in the coming weeks. The Weather Service has forecast a wet start to March that will bring more rain and possibly snow to California. Meteorologists are also forecasting a new atmospheric flow coming out of the Pacific over the next two weeks. The concern of the experts is that this new phenomenon will be fed by tropical air, which would raise the temperature of the water and melt the snow that has fallen in recent months. That could spoil the most optimistic panorama for a state trying to end a three-year spell of water troubles. Snow accounts for a third of the supply of the complex water system. A slow melting of the ice is necessary to prolong the supply. The snow reserves are very healthy at the moment.
The dams and reserves also have good news. The eight largest deposits in the state have increased their levels since December. Three of these currently have capacity above the historical average for this time of year. It’s a very different situation from last year when none of the dams were above average. One of the largest, the Oroville Dam, is 18% above its historic level. Lake Shasta, the largest reserve in the north of the state, has 14% left to reach the mark.
In view of this panorama, one wonders whether the state government will maintain the state of emergency because of the drought. Experts agree that it depends on this month’s conditions. If rain continues to fill reserves and low temperatures help save snow, California could end its recent emergency. The situation would be similar to April 2017. Then-Governor Jerry Brown then decreed the end of five years of drought after a winter of unprecedented rainfall and a water conservation measure imposed by state authorities. Brown lifted the state of emergency but retained the mandate for counties to take care of the water. The conditions could be repeated six years later. The good news could arrive in April.