While the recent storms have created a host of problems across California, there is a silver lining: the much-needed rain is helping alleviate the drought.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor maps released Thursday, California no longer has any region experiencing exceptional drought, the worst level of drought intensity as defined by the Drought Monitor.
In the Bay Area between Dec. 27 and Jan. 3, there was noticeable improvement in parts of the South Bay and the North Bay, where large pockets moved from severe to moderate drought.
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Thursday's drought update only features data up to 4 a.m. PST on Tuesday, Jan. 3, so it does not take into account the powerful storm that walloped the state on Wednesday and Thursday.
Despite all the rain, the state still has a long way to go.
"We have to remember that this is years in the making and it will take a lot of storms to make a remarkable dent in the kind of situation that we're seeing," NBC Bay Area weather anchor Cinthia Pimentel said.
