How California’s deadly storm is not enough to reverse the historic drought
1 year, 11 months ago

How California’s deadly storm is not enough to reverse the historic drought

Firstpost  

Dry California, which has been fighting drought for years, is witnessing torrential rainfall. Earlier last year, California water officials slashed State Water Project allocations from 15 per cent to 5 per cent of normal for water agencies serving roughly 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland. In late November, federal water managers warned the state to prepare for a fourth year of drought and possibly “extremely limited water supply” during 2023. “What we’ve got so far puts us in good shape, probably for at least the next year,” said Alan Haynes, the hydrologist in charge of the California Nevada River Forecast Center. “It’s going to take many methods and several wet years to make up for the region’s long period of low rainfall… One storm certainly doesn’t do it, and even one wet year doesn’t do it,” Andrew Fisher, a professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, wrote in The Conversation.

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History of this topic

With bone-dry conditions, Southern California high fire danger could linger into the new year
1 week, 5 days ago

With bone-dry conditions, Southern California high fire danger could linger into the new year

LA Times  

By this time of year, Southern California has usually recorded some measurable rainfall. If the rains don’t come and the winds do, he said, “that will keep us in high fire season.” Two recent stretches of dangerous Santa Ana winds played out exactly the way forecasters worried they would, fueling the flames of major fires across coastal Southern California. “Down …

A record number of US states are in drought during what may be Earth’s warmest year
1 month, 2 weeks ago

A record number of US states are in drought during what may be Earth’s warmest year

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A record number of states are experiencing drought conditions this month, as warm and windy …

Record-Breaking Droughts Spell Across the East, With Some Areas Facing Worst Drought in Decades
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Record-Breaking Droughts Spell Across the East, With Some Areas Facing Worst Drought in Decades

CNN  

One of the driest months in the Lower 48 in recent history is coming to a close, with hundreds of locales experiencing one of the driest Octobers on record. The average precipitation across the Lower 48 was less than an inch, with only five months in the 129 years of records ending with less than an inch of average precipitation …

California braces for heavy wildfire activity this fall: ‘They’re only going to get worse’
6 months, 1 week ago

California braces for heavy wildfire activity this fall: ‘They’re only going to get worse’

LA Times  

Experts are warning Californians to brace for a ‘very active’ wildfire season this fall as two back-to-back wet winters and forecasts for a warmer-than-normal summer are likely to prime the state’s landscape for fire. “The bad news is that I think that the back half of this season is going to be much more active — with a lot more …

‘Rivers in the sky’ have drenched California, yet even more extreme rains are possible
8 months ago

‘Rivers in the sky’ have drenched California, yet even more extreme rains are possible

LA Times  

For years, scientists have said that atmospheric rivers can either make or break the water supplies of thirsty California cities and farms. The research provides the most historical context to date for the state’s rainfall variability, and found that the region “consistently registered extreme precipitation over a 3,200-year period.” Biola University students take turns using a rope from a footbridge …

Another storm is coming to Southern California early next week. How big will it be?
10 months ago

Another storm is coming to Southern California early next week. How big will it be?

LA Times  

Sam Hale of Garden Grove looks for driftwood he can use in landscaping projects Wednesday in a debris field left by the rain-swollen Santa Ana River in Huntington Beach. Southern Californians can brace for another round of wet weather, with a storm expected to hit the region early next week to cap off a month of historically wet weather. “This …

California’s rainy season is here. What does it mean for water supply?
10 months ago

California’s rainy season is here. What does it mean for water supply?

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — After a dry start to winter, California’s rainy season is finally well under way. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print WHAT ABOUT SNOW? A man shovels snow off his car in the Cleveland National Forest, on Feb. 7, 2024, in eastern San …

California storms kill three people as 38 MILLION remain under flood alerts and Beverly Hills roads turn to rivers of mud
10 months, 2 weeks ago

California storms kill three people as 38 MILLION remain under flood alerts and Beverly Hills roads turn to rivers of mud

Daily Mail  

Multi-million-dollar homes of Tinsel Town's elite have been trashed by flooding The National Weather Service forecasts the storm could bring up to an additional six inches of rain into Tuesday The Pineapple Express weather system has killed three Californians and 38 million people remain under flood alerts At least three people have died in the historic flooding battering California, as …

California is in a ‘snow drought.’ Why this week’s atmospheric rivers won’t be enough to end it
10 months, 3 weeks ago

California is in a ‘snow drought.’ Why this week’s atmospheric rivers won’t be enough to end it

LA Times  

Despite forecasts of heavy rain and possible flooding in the coming days, state water managers are warning that the “snow drought” in California’s Sierra Nevada could remain for the rest of the winter and into the spring. Swain said while it’s hard to predict how the snowpack will turn out, this year could end up with a below-average snowpack “because …

California isn’t prepared for turbocharged storms like the ones we’re getting this week
10 months, 3 weeks ago

California isn’t prepared for turbocharged storms like the ones we’re getting this week

LA Times  

As a series of major winter storms sweep over the West Coast this week, anxious Californians are looking back at the flash floods and the “thousand-year” deluge that shocked San Diego a week ago, and Oxnard a few weeks earlier, wondering what’s in store. Starting Tuesday night, and then again on Sunday, two “atmospheric river” systems will bring high winds …

‘Snow drought’ grips California and western United States, despite recent storms
11 months, 3 weeks ago

‘Snow drought’ grips California and western United States, despite recent storms

LA Times  

Although recent storms have thrashed the California coastline and boosted reservoir levels, the downpours have so far failed to deposit significant snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, which experts say is in the grips of a severe, early season “snow drought.” December’s powerful storms delivered super-sized waves and record-setting rainfall in California, but most of it fell in coastal areas, and …

Is El Niño’s reputation as a legendary rainmaker overblown?
1 year ago

Is El Niño’s reputation as a legendary rainmaker overblown?

LA Times  

In the minds of many Californians, El Niño has long loomed as a rainmaker of epic proportions. Similarly, this past winter proved to be one of the state’s wettest ever, even though California was mired in a rare three consecutive years of La Niña, El Niño’s typically dry counterpart. “When you hear El Niño, you visualize floods and mudslides almost …

There’s no drought anywhere in California: How long that’s expected to last, and why
1 year, 1 month ago

There’s no drought anywhere in California: How long that’s expected to last, and why

LA Times  

Agribusiness consultant Mark Grewel stands on a farm road that was flooded near Corcoran after heavy rains in the San Joaquin Valley last March. “For the most part, California had been drought-free” for weeks, but “a little smidgen” remained, said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska. Part of the reason for …

Officials urge California residents to brace for flooding as El Niño looms
1 year, 2 months ago

Officials urge California residents to brace for flooding as El Niño looms

LA Times  

With California facing the prospect of a second consecutive winter of heavy precipitation, state officials are urging residents to prepare for possible widespread flooding and evacuations in the coming months. Among the efforts is the Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback Project, a $280-million endeavor that, in conjunction with a weir widening project from the Army Corps of Engineers, will send …

California is now practically drought-free, but we keep wasting so much rainwater
1 year, 3 months ago

California is now practically drought-free, but we keep wasting so much rainwater

LA Times  

A driver whose car stalled out on flooded Avenue 48 asks for help from a passerby during Tropical Storm Hilary. He still called Hilary’s rainfall “an unexpected boon” for Southern California’s local water supplies, but said too much of the storm’s water washed away — the latest reminder of the state’s urgent challenge to better capture rainwater to help refill …

What the data says (and doesn’t say) about drought
1 year, 6 months ago

What the data says (and doesn’t say) about drought

LA Times  

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Even when drought conditions ease in California, the state’s long-term struggles with water scarcity and complex water challenges remain. You can see this winter’s effect essentially lifting the state out of “drought.” But it hasn’t been enough to level the long-term imbalance toward dry conditions. But at Southern California’s Pride parades, …

Editorial: Drought and flood, California’s double whammy
1 year, 8 months ago

Editorial: Drought and flood, California’s double whammy

LA Times  

Just as federal officials were laying out alternative scenarios last week for steep water supply cuts from the Colorado River due to the drying Southwest, California officials were warning that this year’s historic Sierra snowpack could flood much of the state later this year. Lake Mead, and farther up the Colorado River, Lake Powell — Southern California’s two big out-of-state …

Volcano? Climate change? Bad luck? Why California was hit with 31 atmospheric river storms
1 year, 8 months ago

Volcano? Climate change? Bad luck? Why California was hit with 31 atmospheric river storms

LA Times  

As winter approached, few anticipated what was about to hit California. It could be random bad luck.” Many of winter’s atmospheric river storms came farther south, moved slowly after making landfall and came later in the season than in prior years — creating more disruption, said Chad Hecht, a research and operations meteorologist at the Center for Western Weather and …

California ends some water limits after storms ease drought
1 year, 9 months ago

California ends some water limits after storms ease drought

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Gavin Newsom ended some of the state's water restrictions …

Newsom rolls back California drought restrictions after remarkably wet winter
1 year, 9 months ago

Newsom rolls back California drought restrictions after remarkably wet winter

LA Times  

A Rancho Cucamonga housing tract was among those where outdoor watering was restricted to one day a week during last year’s drought. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that he will roll back some of the state’s most severe drought restrictions and dramatically increase water supplies for agencies serving 27 million people. “We’re modifying it as opposed to eliminating it because …

Tens of thousands without power in California as latest storm lashes state
1 year, 9 months ago

Tens of thousands without power in California as latest storm lashes state

India Today  

Tens of thousands of storm-weary Californians were without power and under evacuation warnings on Wednesday as the latest storm packing wind-blown rain and snow threatened to bring more flooding to the rain-soaked state. Much of the region along with parts of Arizona and Nevada were under flood watches and advisories on Wednesday caused by the continued rain and snow melt, …

3 reasons why California's drought isn't really over, despite all the rain
1 year, 9 months ago

3 reasons why California's drought isn't really over, despite all the rain

NPR  

3 reasons why California's drought isn't really over, despite all the rain Enlarge this image toggle caption Ken James/California Department of Water Resources Ken James/California Department of Water Resources Ask a water expert if California's drought is finally done, and the answers sound something "Yes and no." "While we've seen some pretty fantastic wet weather and we've seen conditions improve, …

Flooded California sees evacuations, power outages, road closures, New York buried under snow
1 year, 9 months ago

Flooded California sees evacuations, power outages, road closures, New York buried under snow

India Today  

An atmospheric river dumped more torrential rain on California on Wednesday, forcing evacuations, power outages and road closures, while the remnants of a powerful Nor'easter blizzard buried much of upstate New York and New England under snow. The West Coast is getting pounded by a usually wet season following two decades of drought, creating havoc on roads and endangering blufftop …

California braces for flooding, snowmelt from a warm atmospheric river set to slam state
1 year, 9 months ago

California braces for flooding, snowmelt from a warm atmospheric river set to slam state

LA Times  

Clouds hover behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline late last month after a powerful winter storm caused flooding and power outages in some areas. Another atmospheric river system has set its sights on California, raising considerable concern about flooding and structural damage as warm rain is expected to fall atop the state’s near-record snowpack this week, forecasters say. “It now …

Half of California freed from drought thanks to rain, snow
1 year, 9 months ago

Half of California freed from drought thanks to rain, snow

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Tremendous rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought, but low groundwater levels remain a persistent problem, U.S. Drought Monitor data showed Thursday. “Clearly the amount of water that’s fallen this year has greatly alleviated the drought,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The …

California drought levels recede in the face of winter storms
1 year, 9 months ago

California drought levels recede in the face of winter storms

Al Jazeera  

About half of the state has been lifted out of drought conditions by a series of storms that have drenched the region. California has seen drought levels recede after a series of winter storms pummeled the western United States with snow and rainfall, a boon to a state where extreme drought and water access have been a persistent concern. As …

Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows
1 year, 9 months ago

Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows

LA Times  

California’s remarkably wet winter has helped ease drought conditions considerably, with large swaths of the state — including the coast of Humboldt County, much of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada and the Santa Monica Mountains north of Malibu — no longer considered to be in drought, according to federal officials. According to their mapping, which includes data on hydrology, soil moisture …

Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. Warmer storms could cause problems
1 year, 9 months ago

Yet more rain expected to hit California in March. Warmer storms could cause problems

LA Times  

Soggy, snow-capped California faces the likelihood of yet another month of wet weather, but what remains uncertain is whether this late winter precipitation will augment weeks of record-setting snowpack, or cause it to vanish should warmer rains arrive. California Photos: Two atmospheric river storms descend on California California’s deadly storm season continued Friday as the first of two atmospheric river …

California storms improve initial federal water allocations
1 year, 10 months ago

California storms improve initial federal water allocations

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — After early winter storms put a dent in California’s drought, officials Wednesday cautiously announced a jump in initial allocations of federally controlled water to agricultural, municipal and industrial users of the Central Valley Project system. Nine atmospheric river storms from late December into January greatly improved the water supply outlook following three years of record drought, U.S. …

With all this rain and snow, can California really still be in a drought? Look deeper
1 year, 10 months ago

With all this rain and snow, can California really still be in a drought? Look deeper

LA Times  

Lake Oroville, seen at the beginning of February, is one of the state’s largest reservoirs and currently at 71% capacity following the January storms. “We’re in better shape than we were two months ago, but we’re not out of the woods.” California Photos: Two atmospheric river storms descend on California California’s deadly storm season continued Friday as the first of …

Column: Rains and flooding leave claims of California drought high and dry
1 year, 10 months ago

Column: Rains and flooding leave claims of California drought high and dry

LA Times  

A pedestiran wades through a flooded neighborhood in Aptos in Northern California in January. Two words that government officials always try to avoid saying are “drought’s over” — even when there’s flooding. The definition of drought that I learned in school is pretty much the same as the ones I found in a Google search: “A prolonged period of abnormally …

California has huge snowpack, but dry trend raises worries
1 year, 10 months ago

California has huge snowpack, but dry trend raises worries

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — The mountain snowpack that supplies a significant amount of California’s water got an incredible boost from recent powerful storms and is outpacing the state’s wettest season on record, state water officials said Wednesday. “Our snowpack is off to an incredible start, and it’s exactly what California needs to really help break from our ongoing drought,” said Sean …

Why epic California rains might not prevent a dangerous fire season ahead
1 year, 10 months ago

Why epic California rains might not prevent a dangerous fire season ahead

LA Times  

It’s something of a Golden State paradox: Dry winters can pave the way for dangerous fire seasons fueled by dead vegetation, but wet winters — like the one the state has seen so far — can also spell danger by spurring heaps of new growth that can later act as fuel for flames. “The dice are loaded for a weak …

California winter storms boost water allocations for cities
1 year, 10 months ago

California winter storms boost water allocations for cities

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Weeks of historic rainfall in California won’t be enough to end a severe drought, but it will provide public water agencies serving 27 million people with much more water than the suppliers had been told to expect a month ago, state officials announced Thursday. “We’re not out of drought in California, but this certainly makes a significant …

For all their ferocity, California storms were not likely caused by global warming, experts say
1 year, 11 months ago

For all their ferocity, California storms were not likely caused by global warming, experts say

LA Times  

As California emerges from a two-week bout of deadly atmospheric rivers, a number of climate researchers say the recent storms appear to be typical of the intense, periodic rains the state has experienced throughout its history and not the result of global warming. “We know from climate models that global warming will boost California storms of the future, but we …

California sees extensive storm damage as weather calms
1 year, 11 months ago

California sees extensive storm damage as weather calms

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Key roadways remained closed and officials estimated thousand of homes were seriously damaged in California as weeks of wild weather that flooded roadways, collapsed hillsides and toppled countless trees finally became calm Tuesday. “Some roads are completely washed away.” There is no estimated reopening date for State Route 154, a key north-south artery in the county that …

Nineteen dead as California storm chaos continues
1 year, 11 months ago

Nineteen dead as California storm chaos continues

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We aren’t out of the woods yet,” California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward said during a …

California storm kills 19, forces evacuations; officials warn of more floods, power cuts
1 year, 11 months ago

California storm kills 19, forces evacuations; officials warn of more floods, power cuts

India Today  

Storm-weary California is bracing for a new round of drenching rains, heavy snowfall and dangerous winds as the death toll from a series of atmospheric rivers reached 19 people, reported Bloomberg. Authorities in northern Californian towns like Carmel and Pebble Beach - major tourist attractions - could disallow access if the water level in the nearby Salinas River swells due …

New storms move into Southern California, bringing wet, hazardous holiday weekend
1 year, 11 months ago

New storms move into Southern California, bringing wet, hazardous holiday weekend

LA Times  

A woman watches a wave crash over the Redondo Beach breakwater Wednesday as storms in the Pacific created big swells. The first of two holiday weekend storms delivered a solid punch Saturday to an already beaten and soggy Southland, battering the coast with high surf, threatening more flooding and stretching emergency services. “It’s been a wild couple of weeks,” said …

California flooding: More storms forecast for weekend as experts warn heavy rain won’t fix drought
1 year, 11 months ago

California flooding: More storms forecast for weekend as experts warn heavy rain won’t fix drought

The Independent  

✕ Close Drone video of flooded Felton in Santa Cruz County Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rain …

California downpours won't fix decades of drought: Scientists
1 year, 11 months ago

California downpours won't fix decades of drought: Scientists

The Hindu  

Near-record rainfall has battered California for weeks, sparking floods and landslides as the state struggles to cope with so much water. But scientists say even this much precipitation won't reverse the western US state's decades-long drought. Aquifers in deficit Beyond its reservoirs and snow reserves, the state faces a much deeper-seated problem with its depleted groundwater, says Nicholas Pinter, a …

California braces for more storms. When will they hit and how bad will they be?
1 year, 11 months ago

California braces for more storms. When will they hit and how bad will they be?

LA Times  

Workers with Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services clear debris from a mudslide above Nichols Canyon Road caused by the recent rains. The Salinas River at the town of Spreckels rose above flood stage — 23 feet — at 7 p.m. Thursday, and was expected to peak at 26.2 feet by midday Friday, remaining in flood stage through early Sunday, …

California suddenly has so much snow. But even this extraordinary bounty isn’t enough
1 year, 11 months ago

California suddenly has so much snow. But even this extraordinary bounty isn’t enough

LA Times  

The California Department of Water Resource’s forecasting chief, Sean de Guzman, left, and engineer Andy Reising measure Sierra Nevada snowpack near Lake Tahoe on Jan. 3. “We’ve had quite a deficit because of the drought, so we’re seeing steep inclines right now in storage, and hope that continues as we see these storms and that we can get back to …

California storms ‘significantly reduced’ drought intensity, yet still more rain is needed
1 year, 11 months ago

California storms ‘significantly reduced’ drought intensity, yet still more rain is needed

CNN  

CNN — For three years, California has been in desperate need of rain. But the past several weeks of rain and snow have “significantly reduced” the state’s drought intensity, according the US Drought Monitor’s latest report. “But from a reservoir standpoint, we’d rather have it than not have it.” The recent storms have been replenishing the state’s water supply, according …

Nearly all of California exits the worst drought categories in U.S. Drought Monitor
1 year, 11 months ago

Nearly all of California exits the worst drought categories in U.S. Drought Monitor

LA Times  

The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor showed an extraordinary sight: Deep splotches of dark red and purple signifying the worst levels of drought have been erased from California’s map almost completely. “We’re definitely looking to be in a better situation than we were last year, where everything shut off for a good three months, and there will be …

half a year’s rainfall in weeks
1 year, 11 months ago

half a year’s rainfall in weeks

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Parts of California have received over half their annual rainfall in the past two weeks …

EXPLAINER: How much will the rain help California’s drought?
1 year, 11 months ago

EXPLAINER: How much will the rain help California’s drought?

Associated Press  

California has experienced a devastating, multi-year drought that’s depleted reservoirs, forced officials to plead with residents to conserve water and constrained supplies to vital farmland. And the rain and snow won’t be enough to fix some of California’s long-term water problems that climate change is making worse. “What we’ve got so far puts us in good shape, probably for at …

Crushed by falling trees. Drowned in floodwaters. The deadly toll of California storms worsens
1 year, 11 months ago

Crushed by falling trees. Drowned in floodwaters. The deadly toll of California storms worsens

LA Times  

A toddler crushed by falling trees. “What we’re seeing is absolutely a result of weather whiplash,” said Brian Ferguson, deputy director of crisis communication at the California Office of Emergency Services. “We’ve had less people die in the last two years of major wildfires in California than have died since New Year’s Day related to this weather,” Gov. State climatologist …

Will California’s extreme storms offset its years-long drought?
1 year, 11 months ago

Will California’s extreme storms offset its years-long drought?

Al Jazeera  

The US state has been hit by heavy rain and flooding, but experts warn it may not be enough to counteract climate change. Located on the West Coast of the United States, California — the country’s most populous state — has experienced a devastating, multiyear drought that has depleted reservoirs, forced officials to plead with residents to conserve water and …

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