It feels like it's been raining on and off for weeks in the Tri-Counties. And, one of the biggest storms in months is hitting us this week.
So, what does all of this mean for the drought?
Some experts say that unfortunately, it's little more than a drop in the bucket in easing the region's water crisis.
"We've been in this drought for almost 23 years now, below normal on average annually," said Dr. Bill Patzert, a climatologist who spent decades with the California Institute of Technology's NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. He monitors El Ninos and La Ninas, the conditions in our oceans which can ultimately give us drier, or wetter years than normal.
"It's going to take us many years to dig out of this drought," said Patzert. "There is no quick fix."
Ventura is at 121% of average rainfall for this time of year, Ojai 131%, Santa Barbara 165%, and Lompoc is at a whopping 221%. The numbers sound impressive. But, in 2022 we were also well above average for the start of the New Year. Then, we had the driest January, February, and March on record.
"We went bone dry...we ended up below normal (for the rainfall year)," said Patzert. "I don't want to see any headlines about this being a drought buster."
"People are getting it in their mind we're in the rainy season, getting some rain, we can kind of let our foot off the gas a little bit," said Mike McNutt, who is a spokesman for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. It serves part of the Conejo Valley.
"It's human nature. But, you just can't make the assumption that because we're having some rain, that it's pulling us out of a historic drought...because it is not," said McNutt.
Patzert said getting out of the drought isn't just about refilling reservoirs, which are the most visible symbols of the drought. He says that for decades, we have been using up underground water supplies faster than nature can replenish them. The climatologist said getting them back to where they should be will take years of above average rainfall.
He said the recent spurt of rain is a start, but it is nowhere near easing our critical drought issues.
"We're like when you are at the bottom of your milkshake at In-N-Out...starting to hear that slurping sound," said Patzert.
McNutt said water conservation can't be an emergency measure. It needs to be a lifestyle.
"It's still drought, drought drought, and we're still conserve, conserve, conserve," said McNutt.
