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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Following the recent winter storms, no widespread drought is expected in California for the next two years, through early 2026, AccuWeather forecasters announced Monday.
The weather company said it came to this conclusion after an extensive review of all available data, and consultation with their expert team of long-range forecasters.
All this comes on the heels of what has turned out to be yet another wet winter, swamping California with heavy rainfall and flooding. The frequent deluges have fended off a return to the drought that has plagued the state over the past decade.
Some parts of California are so wet these days that even Death Valley National Park has a lake big enough for kayakers.
A powerful blizzard that closed highways and ski resorts had moved through the Sierra Nevada by early Monday, but forecasters warned that more snow was on the way for the Northern California mountains.
More than 7 feet of snow fell in some locations and fierce winds lashed the Sierra over the weekend.
Snowpack in the Sierra Mountains is important because during the summer, melting snow flows into the state’s water table.
In Southern California, there will be a couple of pleasant days starting Monday before more rain arrives midweek.
Even with the laggard start to the rainy season, water storage in California’s major reservoirs has been well above average thanks to runoff from last year’s historic snowpack.
Some reservoirs have been releasing water into rivers to make room for incoming storm runoff and maintain flood control protection for downstream areas.
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The Associated Press and CNNWire contributed to this report.