The past three years have been the driest three-year period
"The past three years have been the driest three-year period on record [dating back to 1895.] That just beats the driest three-year period on record from 2013 to 2015. And both of these three-year periods have been the hottest on record." The U.S. Drought Monitor is a map updated every week to show the location and intensity of drought across the country. Just three months ago, 41 percent of the state was classed as being under "extreme drought," the second most-intense category, while 17 percent was considered to be under most intense, "exceptional drought." On January 17, for the first time in three years, both of these categories were eliminated across California, and remain at zero today.