The entire state of California is now experiencing drought conditions

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The entire state of California is now experiencing drought conditions
(Image credit: Twitter)

For the first time in 15 years, the entire state of California is experiencing drought conditions. An extended period of below-normal precipitation pushed every county to experience some level of drought, according to the latest map released by the National Climatic Data Center.

Nearly 25 percent of California is experiencing "exceptional" conditions — the most intense level of drought. The rest of the state is under "moderate" or "extreme" conditions. By comparison, at this time last year, no part of the state experienced "extreme" or "exceptional" conditions, and only 30 percent of the state experienced "severe" drought conditions.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.