 DISCUSSION: As a consequence of the recent heavy rainfall totals which have been deposited across many parts of the state of California, the drought situation has greatly improved across much of the state. Having said that, there are still many problem areas which are scattered about various parts of California (as also detailed more in the graphic attached above which is courtesy of the forecasters over at the National Weather Service office located in San Diego, California). Attached below is a brief excerpt taken directly from the Facebook post as posted by the National Weather Service office located in San Diego, California. Be sure to read the information attached above to learn more about the latest on this ongoing drought situation impacting areas across the state of California.
"Thanks to a very wet January, California’s drought woes are improving. Since the start of the water year on 1 October 2016 over one-third of the state has been removed from drought by the U. S. Drought Monitor. California’s largest reservoir, the Sierra Snowpack, is looking very healthy right now thanks to January being the snowiest month on record for many locations in the Sierra Nevada including Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain. However, much of California is still in a drought due to dry conditions since 2012 leaving some places in Southern California with precipitation deficits of one to two years worth of rainfall." To learn more about other drought-related information from around the world, be sure to click here! ©2017 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz
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 DISCUSSION: As 2016 quietly came to an end, we reflect on notable meteorological phenomenon that occurred throughout the year. Of recent observation has been some improvement in the drought monitor for the state of California. We've attached two US Drought Monitor data sheets showcasing December 29th, 2015 and December 27th, 2016. The differences are quite staggering. California having spent the past 5 years in a significant drought have made conditions for residents challenging. From low-flow toilets, and shower heads to considerable increases in water prices, Californians are feeling the pull on their wallets, land, and agriculture. This goes without saying that reservoir levels have been dire in addition to increased tree death, greater unforeseen fire impacts and decreased snowpack in the Sierra Nevada range. Reviewing just monthly data we've extrapolated statements of drought intensity. December 29th, 2015 (2015) had clearly been more drought stricken than the month of December 27th, 2016 (2016). In 2015 for D4 classified drought intensity as Exceptional Drought, D4 qualified 44.84% of the California area, whereas 2016 D4 qualified 18.31% of the California area. A drop of nearly 41% in D4 drought intensity compared to that of a year ago. Of note is author Brad Rippey of the US Department of Agriculture indicating; "Despite heavy autumn and/or early-winter precipitation nearly region-wide, this season's snowpack remains below average in many California and Southwestern basins, owing to several "warm" storms that have produced more rain than snow. For example, California's Department of Water Resources noted that the average water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack stood at 6 inches, about 70% of the late-December average but less than one-quarter of the typical April 1 seasonal peak. Still, Western precipitation has been heavy enough in nearly all areas to warrant some improvement in recent weeks, and further improvement could be dictated if strong storms continue to occur and if the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service issues and optimistic Western water supply outlook in early January." As winter has only begun, the National Drought Summary is seemingly more optimistic than traditional forecasts, yet January will remain a month for monitoring. As we anticipate a La Niña pattern it is suspected that precipitation may increase in Northern California while Southern California would experience decreased precipitation. This years' weak La Niña is following one of the strongest El Niño seasons on record, despite normal precipitation in Northern California and below-normal in Southern California. ~Meteorologist Jessica Olsen |
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