What drought? Before and after photos show how California has dramatically recovered from record dry spell in just ONE MONTH of rainstorms

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Northern California has suffered droughts throughout the past five years, and new photos show the astonishing floods in the state after a few heavy storms.

Rain hasn't fallen on San Francisco like it has this January since 1982.  Since January 1, the city has seen 5.53 inches of rain.

SFGate.com reports homes in the mountains outside Guerneville, which is an hour and a half north of San Fransisco, have been under water since January 4.  The region has been pelted with 21 inches of rain in the past two weeks. The Russian River flooded six feet over stage this Wednesday making streets impossible to get through.

These photos show the difference between the docks at Browns Ravine in 2014 (above) and in 2017 (below)

Lake Oroville's capacity is at 39 percent in 2016. The water ramp is exposed because of the drought 

One year later in 2017, not nearly as much of the concrete ramp is visible

People ignored the signs that marked the roads closed and flooded by the Russian River. For many their cars stalled as they tried to pass as the engines sucked up water.  

There have been a few positive effects of the rain. Michael Anderson, a climatologist for the California Department of Water Resources, told SFGate.com he believes the reservoirs in Northern California have gained almost one million acres of storage.

The dam at Folsom Lake in 2015 (left) is calm compared to the rushing water in 2017 (right) 

People swim under the South Yuba River Bridge in Nevada City, California in September 2016

The friendly swimming hole is not looking so friendly in 2017 as water rushes under the South Yuba River Bridge

Redwood Creek is barely a stream in 2016 (left). In 2017 (right) it is practically a rushing river

He said: 'That is almost 18 percent of its capacity. Since Oroville was about 750,000 acre-feet below its storage limits during flood season (a consequence of the drought), they can keep all that water for future use and largely offset storage impacts from the drought.'

Even though much of the state is drenched, the drought is not yet over. CNN reports the state is only 42 percent drought free. However, this is an improvement from last year when only three percent was.

Most of Southern California is still under 'extreme' to 'exceptional' drought.  

Lake Oroville's launch ramp is at 60 percent of its historical average in 2016 

After a storm in January 2017, Lake Oroville's water levels are much higher