Wet Start to California Water Year Improves Drought, But Snowpack Lags

National Integrated Drought Information System officals say wet start to California water year improves drought, but snowpack lags.

Water Year 2026 (October 1, 2025–September 20, 2026) began very differently than Water Year 2025. Drought developed in the first few months of the last water year and expanded over the region. This water year, over the course of 2 months, drought across California-Nevada has improved by 1-3 categories, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.