I wrote a couple of weeks ago that the tremendous California rain might end the drought (California Drought–Ending Before Our Eyes?). Well, so far, it hasn’t ended the drought, but it has improve the situation considerably.
Here is a the drought monitor map from January 26:
California drought monitor map for the West; January 26, 2010
Here is the map from January 12, before the storms arrived:
Western drought map for Januar 12, 2010; courtesy of NOAA and friends
While the drought situation has improved dramatically, there remain a few areas listed as abnormally dry and even moderately dry based on long-term rainfall.
With more storms on the way in the coming weeks, perhaps even these areas will be erased.
–Paul Yeager
