California paid 616,884 unemployment claims in March, 102,00o fewer than in March of last year, but still more than three times the norm in non-recessionary times, reports the state Employment Development Department.

Loree Levy, an EDD spokeswoman, said the reason for the large drop-off in claims is unclear.

“We have a lot of theories, but not a lot of data,” Levy said.

She noted that regular claims — those filed in the first 26 weeks of unemployment — have been declining, but long-term claims for those out of work more than a half-year have remained steady. In March, nearly half of all the unemployed — 46.8% — were long term.

The drop-off  in claims could also be due to more people exhausting their unemployment benefits.

As of Tuesday, May 17, 420,916 people had fallen off the California unemployment rolls after receiving their maximum 99 weeks of benefits. It is not known whether those people subsequently found jobs.

Still, the overall numbers are off their 2010 highs. Monthly claims peaked last July at 807,489. That number, however, was skewed because Congress delayed extending unemployment benefits for seven weeks last summer and the EDD had to play catchup in July. Monthly claims averaged 679,000 last year.