California drought update: How dry is the state ahead of summer’s scorching temps?
Meteorologists forecast that June will bring above-normal temperatures to California, which could worsen the state’s remaining drought.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there’s a 33% to 50% chance weather in California will be hotter than usual for this time of the year. NOAA outlooks show “equal” chances of above-normal, near-normal or below-normal rainfall for June. Meaning, according to the National Weather Service, there’s no clear indication of how much rain the state could receive.
One thing is for certain: parts of California will scorch this summer.
El Niño is likely this year. How will it affect California weather?
According to previous Bee reporting, Northern California could see more intense heat waves this summer.
“Heat can exacerbate drought, and hot, dry conditions can, in turn, create wildfire conditions,” the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions wrote on its website. The heightened risk of fires this season is in lower-elevation grasslands, as moisture from winter storms is drying up faster than in the mountains, which saw record snow this year. More vegetation in these areas can be fuel for flames.
In Sacramento, according to the National Weather Service, temperatures will reach a high of 92 degrees on Saturday and 93 degrees on Sunday. The weather is predicted to settle into the mid-to-low 80s early next week.
Is California still in a drought?
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, California is roughly 95% drought-free after a winter of record-breaking rain and snow. The state is free of “severe,” “extreme,” and “exceptional” drought conditions for more than seven weeks in a row.
The entire Central Valley, Central Sierra, Foothills, Northern California, the coast and most of Southern California have exited drought conditions.
As of Thursday, portions of three out of 58 counties, or roughly 4.6% of the state, are in “moderate” drought. In May, eight counties or nearly 8% remained in drought.
The majority of the desert region is drought-free except for “moderate” conditions in parts of Inyo, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Nearly 704,800 people remain in drought areas, according to a Thursday update from the U.S. Drought Monitor — an improvement over nearly 736,000 in May and 5 million in March.
Meaning, whether the drought is over depends on where you are and the status of your water agency’s supply.
Roughly 29% of the state remains abnormally dry for the second week in a row.
The information used in this interactive map, collected from the U.S. Drought Monitor, was updated Thursday with data through May 30. Here are the drought conditions in California. See where you land:
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