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After a series of big storms, California has received more snow and water than it has in years. “This is a drought-busting year.”

Columbia Pictures

Late last week, something rare happened in Southern California: It rained for three days.

The soaking set several records around the region, and helped shrike the state's exceptional drought to its lowest level in years. As of Thursday, half of the country's most populous state is now completely free of drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. The most extreme level of dryness, which once stretched across maps of California in a massive gash of red, has now been completely eliminated.

“Extreme” drought, the second most severe category, now covers just 2% of the state — down from more than 40% a year ago.

US Drought Monitor

The improvement in drought conditions marks a major turnaround for California — which in addition to being a great place generally also includes fertile agricultural valleys that feed the entire country. In other words a shift in California's drought, which began in 2011, ripples throughout the US.

And the turnaround has been dramatic indeed. Over the weekend, Mammoth Mountain, a ski resort in the Sierra Nevada mountains, reported more than 20 feet of snow in January — it's snowiest month ever recorded.

The story was similar across the Sierras. As of Thursday, the snowpack in the southern section of the Sierras was 223% of average for this time of year. Statewide, snowpack was 189% of average. By contrast, during previous years of the drought, snowpack was virtually non-existent in many parts of the state.

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