Drought Information Statement for Southwestern California 
Valid February 5, 2025
Issued By: NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, CA
Contact Information: 
This product will be updated March, 5, 2025 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/LOX/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 
Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/?dews_region=136 for regional drought status updates.
Dry conditions across southern California over the past 9 months have resulted in short term areas of D1 (moderate drought), D2 ( Severe Drought, and D3 (Extreme Drought) as shown on the U. S. Drought Monitor Map. 
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U.S. Drought Monitor

Drought intensity and Extent

D4 (Exceptional Drought): None at this time

D3 (Extreme Drought): Portions of Los Angeles County

D2 (Severe Drought): Portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara Counties

D1 (Moderate Drought): Portions of Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties

D0: (Abnormally Dry): NW portions of San Luis Obispo County

Recent Change in Drought Intensity
Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 

Drought Worsened: Over the past 4 weeks the drought depiction on the U.S. Drought Monitor Map has shown widespread 1 to 2 categories of drought degradation across southern California. 

Precipitation
Below normal precipitation has been observed across most of southern California during the current water year (October 1, 2024 through February 4, 2025)




Link to HPRCC 
Temperature
In the short term, temperatures have been below normal (past 7 days).
Over the past 30 days, temperatures have been observed to be near normal or slightly above normal in the Los Angeles/Oxnard NWS Weather Forecast area. 

Summary of Impacts
Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter
Hydrologic Impacts 
Below normal precipitation has resulted in low soil moisture and below normal stream flow.

Agricultural Impacts
Non-irrigated pasture lands have been impacted from below normal precipitation.

Fire Hazard Impacts
Extreme dry fuel moisture and critical wildfire danger have been present.

Other Impacts
None reported at this time. 

Mitigation Actions
None reported at this time.


Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Normal to below normal streamflow conditions exist at this time across southern California

Image Caption: USGS 7 day average streamflow HUC map valid MM DD YYYY

Below normal soil moisture and crop moisture exists across southern California at this time. 
Agricultural Impacts

Fire Hazard Impacts
Fire weather impacts have been lessened due to recent rainfall in late January and early February. 





Link to Wildfire Potential Outlooks from the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Seven Day Precipitation Forecast
Precipitation is expected over the next seven days across in Southern California. 





Rapid Onset Drought Outlook
Ongoing drought conditions will most likely persist across southern California in the short term. If February and March bring normal to above normal rainfall, the drought conditions could improve. If drier than normal conditions continue, drought conditions will persist and may worsen. 


Long-Range Outlooks
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The precipitation and temperature outlooks across southern California for February are projected to be near normal. 


Drought Outlook
The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage
The 1-month drought outlook for February is for drought conditions to persist across southern California