Less than 9% of California in drought, latest update shows

LOS ANGELES - Good news for California's current drought situation after winter's epic storms that brought some much-needed rain to the region.

The U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday that areas of drought cover less than 9% of the state, down from more than 99% at the Oct. 1 start of the water year.

Maps courtesy US Drought Monitor

Those areas, in the far north and southeast, are surrounded by areas of abnormal dryness amounting to just over 25% of the state.

California’s winter was marked by numerous atmospheric rivers that dumped enormous amounts of rain and blanketed mountains with an extraordinary snowpack.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.