Precipitation in late December and early January in California “did not provide enough moisture to dent long-term drought,” says the weekly Drought Monitor. “In California’s key watershed areas, mostly dry weather prevailed for a second consecutive week, following a highly beneficial, three-week wet spell.” Snowpack in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada equaled 5 inches of water by Jan 6, “only 17 percent of the water typically available when the melt season begins in the spring.” Meltwater from the Sierra Nevada is important for water systems in southern California.
The Drought Monitor lists 98.1 percent of California in drought, including 32.2 percent in exceptional drought, the most dire of the four-stage ranking that begins with moderate drought. The ratings are unchanged from the previous week.