San Diego / Inside San Diego
California – California is entering 2026 with a milestone few residents have ever experienced: not a single square mile of the state is classified as dry.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, California reached 0 percent drought coverage as of December 30, 2025, marking the first time in 25 years that the entire state has been free of drought conditions. The same conclusion was echoed by the California Drought Monitor, as reported by CalMatters.
A series of powerful storms in December 2025 delivered the final push, pulling nearly all remaining dry areas out of drought status. By January 8, 2026, updated measurements showed virtually no dryness remaining anywhere in the state, capping what experts described as an exceptionally wet period.
The turnaround reflects several consecutive years of strong rainfall and snowpack recovery, a dramatic shift for a state long defined by water scarcity. California was first declared largely drought-free in 2023 following a winter barrage of atmospheric rivers that soaked the state beginning in November. Those storms not only replenished reservoirs but also reshaped long-term water outlooks heading into 2025 and beyond.
What makes the current moment historic is its completeness. California has not seen a drought map with zero dry areas since December 2000. For anyone under the age of 25, this is the first time in their lifetime that California has not been either entering, enduring, or recovering from drought.
The effects are visible across the state’s water system. Current figures show seven of California’s 12 major state-owned reservoirs at 75 percent capacity or higher, a level considered healthy by water managers. Snowpack and groundwater conditions have also rebounded significantly, easing pressure on urban water agencies and agricultural users alike.
Officials caution that drought cycles are a defining feature of California’s climate and that one wet period does not eliminate long-term risks tied to climate change. Still, the moment offers rare breathing room after decades of conservation mandates, emergency declarations, and shrinking reservoirs.
For now, the state is enjoying something close to a water reset — a blue map, full reservoirs, and a statistical milestone not seen since the turn of the millennium.
