Progressive drought maps show just how thirsty California has become – from the Los Angeles Times

By Kyle Kim and Thomas Suh Lauder 

It doesn’t take much to understand why California is so worried about drought. Reservoirs are ever-dwindling. Rainfall is sporadic at best. It’s so bad, Governor Jerry Brown imposed mandatory water restrictions throughout the state.

The majority of California is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and the state’s condition isn’t expected to improve in the near future.

The Drought Monitor, which collects data from 50 different weather indicators, have shown an increasingly red California since 2011, the last time the drought map was clear.

Watch the 6-second snap-shot here.

Key:

Yellow – Abnormally Dry

Beige – Moderate Drought

Orange – Severe Drought

Red – Extreme Drought

Brown – Exceptional Drought

2011

Dec. 20

Drought starts
Dec. 27

2012

Jan. 03

Jan. 10

Jan. 17

Jan. 24

Jan. 31

Feb. 07

Feb. 14

Feb. 21

Feb. 28

Mar. 06

Mar. 13

Mar. 20

Mar. 27

Apr. 03

Apr. 10

Apr. 17

Apr. 24

May 01

May 08

May 15

May 22

May 29

June 05

June 12

June 19

June 26

July 03

July 10

July 17

July 24

July 31

Aug. 07

Aug. 14

Aug. 21

Aug. 28

Sep. 04

Sep. 11

Sep. 18

Sep. 25

Oct. 02

Oct. 09

Oct. 16

Oct. 23

Oct. 30

Nov. 06

Nov. 13

Nov. 20

Nov. 27

Dec. 04

Dec. 11

Dec. 18

Dec. 25

2013

Jan. 01

Jan. 08

Jan. 15

Jan. 22

Jan. 29

Feb. 05

Feb. 12

Feb. 19

Feb. 26

Mar. 05

Mar. 12

Mar. 19

Mar. 26

Apr. 02

Apr. 09

Apr. 16

Apr. 23

Apr. 30

May 07

May 14

May 21

May 28

June 04

June 11

June 18

June 25

July 02

July 09

July 16

July 23

July 30

Aug. 06

Aug. 13

Aug. 20

Aug. 27

Sep. 03

Sep. 10

Sep. 17

Sep. 24

Oct. 01

Oct. 08

Oct. 15

Oct. 22

Oct. 29

Nov. 05

Nov. 12

Nov. 19

Nov. 26

Dec. 03

Dec. 10

Dec. 17

Dec. 24

Dec. 31

2014

Jan. 07

Jan. 14

Jan. 21

Jan. 28

Feb. 04

Feb. 11

Feb. 18

Feb. 25

Mar. 04

Mar. 11

Mar. 18

Mar. 25

Apr. 01

Apr. 08

Apr. 15

Apr. 22

Apr. 29

May 06

May 13

May 20

May 27

June 03

June 10

June 17

June 24

July 01

July 08

July 15

July 22

July 29

Aug. 12

Aug. 19

Aug. 26

Sept. 2

Sept. 09

Sept. 16

Sept. 23

Sept. 30

Oct. 07

Oct. 14

Oct. 21

Oct. 28

Nov. 4

Nov. 11

Nov. 18

Nov. 25

Dec. 02

Dec. 09

Dec. 16

Dec. 23

2015

Jan. 06

Jan. 15

Jan. 20

Jan. 27

Feb. 3

Feb. 10

Feb. 17

Feb. 24

March 3

March 10

March 17

March 24

March 31

April 7

April 7

April 14

April 21

April 28

May 5

May 12

May 19

May 26

June 2

June 9

June 16

June 23

June 30

July 7

July 14

July 21

July 28

Aug. 4

Aug. 11

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sept. 1