Monday January 9, 2023
KTLA —
It’s early in California’s rainy season, but a series of atmospheric rivers has already made an impact – for better or worse.
In just two weeks, the state’s drought situation saw notable improvement. The worst classification, “exceptional drought,” was completely wiped off the map.
While the vast majority of California – 97.9%, to be exact – is still experiencing some magnitude of drought, two tiny slivers are nearly in the clear.
In the far northern and far southern reaches of the state are two areas shaded in yellow, meaning they are only “abnormally dry” – not technically in a drought.
Up north along the California-Oregon border is Del Norte County, with a population around 28,000 and lots of lush coastal redwood forest. The county ranks highest for annual precipitation, with an average of 95 wet days per year, so it’s no big surprise to see it out of the drought soonest.