More than 80% of California continues to languish under "extreme drought."
This according to state and federal officials, who say drought conditions persist over much of the state despite near-record rains last month. According to one state source, as many as 37.3% million Californians are being impacted by the continuing drought. That figure reportedly corresponds to 95% of the state's population. \The recent rains have contributed to October being the 4th wettest October over the past 127 years. The last drought in California ran from 2012 to 2016, and at its height in 2014, all of the state — 100% — was covered by severe to exceptional drought from May 13, 2014, to July 29, 2014, and 81.92% was covered by exceptional to extreme drought from Aug. 5, 2014, to Oct. 28, 2014, the SFGate originally reported.
"The most alarming aspect [of the California map] is the fact that conditions are currently in really poor shape and we’re only just beginning to move into dry season," Simeral wrote. "The situation is only going to intensify as we move through the summer months. It’s hard to pick what’s most alarming because there’s cause for concern from a variety of angles, such as, impacts to the agricultural sector, diminishing reservoir levels, impacts to ecosystem health, wildfire potential, and impacts to sectors that receive less attention like recreation such as river rafting operations and fishing."