California records driest water year since 1924

California has recorded its driest water year in over a decade, according to a report from the California Department of Water Resources. The water year, which only includes measurements for precipitation like rain or snow, saw 28.2 inches between 2020 and 2021. 

California cities Sacramento, San Francisco, Bakersfield and Santa Barbara received "less than half" of their average annual rain and snowfall, according to California Water Resources. The amount of measured precipitation makes the 2020-2021 the second driest year in California history. 

The driest year ever recorded was 1924, but the report said that 2020-2021 mirrored the drought conditions of 1977, a drought year that saw the lowest level of water runoff in the state's recorded history.