Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
The Sacramento Bee
Drought returns to California after 9-month hiatus amid hot weather, wildfires. Here’s where
By Brianna Taylor,
6 hours ago
Drought is back in California for the first time in nearly a year.
The update from the U.S. Drought Monitor comes as firefighters battle the state’s largest wildfire of 2024 near Chico.
As of midday Thursday, the Park Fire had burned more than 71,000 acres across Butte and Tehama counties and was approximately 3% contained.
According to Thursday’s update, “moderate drought” is isolated to Northern California, while “abnormally dry” spots are scattered across the state.
Here’s what drought conditions look like across California:
How much of California is in drought?
The Drought Monitor’s weekly map shows drought intensities across the nation.
As of Thursday, 4.4% of the state was in drought , according to the map. That’s a percentage point increase of nearly 3.7% from July 9, when drought conditions returned.
Affected areas include Siskiyou and Modoc counties.
Roughly 21.2% of the state, including portions of the Sierra, foothills, Northern California and Southern California, are battling “abnormally dry” conditions.
Over the past week, a substantial heatwave rocked much of the Western region, with temperature departures 3 to 12 degrees above normal, researchers wrote in a weekly national drought summary for forecast explanations.
Temperature departure is defined as the difference between the temperature in that month and its average over the years, according to the University of Northern California at Charlotte.
While optimal weather improved New Mexico’s persistent drought, portions of California, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Nevada experienced drought expansion , researchers said.
As of July 25, 2024, the U.S. Drought Monitor update shows California has 4.4% of “moderate drought” and 21.2% of “abnormally dry” spots. U.S. Drought Monitor
Record temperatures, wildfire risks reported across state
A heat dome sent temperatures soaring into the triple digits across much of California for weeks.
The National Weather Service’s latest forecast for Sacramento and other parts of California calls for a slight cool-down this weekend, with highs dropping as low as the mid-80s.
Though heat waves are typical in the capital region, scientists warn climate change has exacerbated their intensity and duration.
In Northern California, warm winds and hot weather have created ideal conditions for wildfires as vegetation and other fuels begin to dry out for the season.
The sun rises as seen through smoke from the Park Fire as seen from Cohasset Road east of Chico on Thursday, July 25, 2024. Hector Amezcua/hamezcua@sacbee.com
What is California’s drought status?
July marks the end of a nine-month drought-free period in California.
Since October, the state has been free of “severe,” “extreme” and “exceptional” drought conditions.
Smoke from the Park Fire covers the Butte County horizon northeast of Chico on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The fire jumped to more than 45,000 acres less than a day after sparking in Upper Bidwell Park, prompting evacuations. Hector Amezcua/hamezcua@sacbee.com
What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@sacbee.com .
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0