Publication Date November 25, 2015 | Capital Public Radio

Drought Improves In Pacific Northwest, Not California

United States
Sierra-at-Tahoe in Twin Bridges, California, had enough snow November 19, 2015 to open Nov. 20, its earliest start in 11 years. Sierra-at-Tahoe / Courtesy
Sierra-at-Tahoe in Twin Bridges, California, had enough snow November 19, 2015 to open Nov. 20, its earliest start in 11 years. Sierra-at-Tahoe / Courtesy

In the Pacific Northwest, recent storms have brought significant improvement in the drought for coastal Washington and northwest Oregon and improved reservoir storage...The most dramatic improvement came in Washington state, where the level of moderate drought was reduced to 64 percent from 72 percent the previous week. It was 100 percent two weeks ago. Nearly 61 percent of Washington is in severe drought and 46 percent is in extreme drought. Oregon is 96 percent in moderate drought, 90 percent severe and nearly 61 percent in extreme drought.