California is free of both drought and abnormally dry conditions for the first time in 25 years, according to an influential monitoring program closely watched by state and federal agencies.
In a remarkable — but no doubt transitory — moment, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported that as of Jan. 6, the entire state was not experiencing drought conditions. The drought monitor also noted that no part of the state was deemed to be abnormally dry.
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) does not produce the monitor nor rely upon it as an official indicator, but its findings are of interest.
“It’s been a few years since the last multi-year drought in California. As we get further from that drought period, coupled with extremely wet conditions in 2023 and average precipitation and snow levels in 2024 and 2025, the indicators move closer to a drought-free state,” said Michael Anderson, the state climatologist with DWR, in a statement.
