The Bay Area has gone from "severe" to "extreme" drought levels in only two weeks, according to data released by the U.S. Drought Monitor on Wednesday.
Portions of Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties were not yet in an "extreme" drought a week ago. The majority of Bay Area counties were still listed in the "severe" category the week before that.
According to the drought monitor, the greater Bay Area is experiencing "record or near-record dryness" with major cities showing only 35% to 38% of normal rainfall for this time of year.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
"In California, areas of Extreme Drought expanded across the northern and central Sierra Nevada, as well as in areas of the San Joaquin Valley where water deliveries have been severely reduced due to the poor snowpack conditions across the Sierra (59% of normal on April 1 statewide) and below normal reservoir conditions," the U.S. Drought Monitor analysis said.
Nearly three-quarters of California is now in the "extreme" drought category.
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