While cooler temperatures and more rain in March helped mitigate drought in some regions in California, drought conditions aren’t forecasted to improve for large swaths of the state in the coming months. A seasonal drought outlook by the Climate Prediction Center released on Thursday, April 17, valid through July 31, forecasts that Southern California and a central pocket of the state will see drought conditions persist with no improvement. It comes as a National Integrated Drought Information System update issued on April 10 reported that below-normal temperatures and higher-than-normal rainfall in March helped mitigate drought in the Central Valley and San Diego. Yet nearly 40% of California is in a drought, according to the latest available data from the U.S. Drought Monitor accessed on April 17.

Other water and wildfire news:

• Idyllwild Town Crier (Calif.): Wildfire chances increasing into summer
• Phys.org: Potential threat to water safety from wildfires