Story highlights US Drought Monitor reports this week that 42% of California is out of drought

This doesn't mean drought for the state is over, as Southern California still dry

San Francisco (CNN) Thanks to the powerful storms that have drenched Northern California, 42% of the state is no longer in a drought.

That marks a major improvement from a year ago, when only 3% of the state was drought-free, according to data from the US Drought Monitor.

The storms have dumped more than 7 inches of rain since Monday and the National Weather Service says 6-12 feet of snow has fallen in the Sierra Nevada, where the snowpack is critical to California's water supply.

While Northern California is soaked, it's still bone dry down south.

Most of Southern California and several central areas of the state remain in extreme and exceptional drought, according to data released by the US Drought Monitor on Thursday. More than 26 million people are in drought-stricken areas.

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