California is drenched and its mountains are piled high with snow amid a still-unfolding winter of storms that was unimaginable just a few months ago.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reports Thursday that more than 87 percent of California is free of drought conditions or unusual dryness and just over 2 percent remains in the drought category.
State water resources officials say the vital Sierra Nevada snowpack is now at 153 percent of average to date.
A measurement taken Thursday at Phillips Station near Sierra-at-Tahoe found 113 inches of snow depth compared to just 13½ inches a year ago.
The Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California's water when it melts in spring and summer.
Forecasters expect stormy weather to continue.
Local
A winter storm warning that has been in effect for four days in the Sierra Nevada has finally expired and U.S. Interstate 80 has reopened but the relief from the winter weather will be short-lived.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
