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BLOG: California Water Made Simple

There’s only so many acre-feet of water jargon the public can absorb during a drought. Here’s a primer that avoids wading into cubic-feet-per-second, appropriative water rights, overdraft, conjunctive water use and the like.

WEATHER: Why is it So Hot? The Science Behind SoCal’s Heat Wave

It’s time to crank up those air conditioners, because the heat wave has arrived.

All across Southern California, temperatures will crest into the triple digits and likely break records. By Monday, the Inland valleys could see highs greater than 108 and the deserts could see highs greater than 120. The high temperatures have prompted the National Weather Service to put out an excessive heat warning that will last through Monday for coastal areas, Tuesday for the Inland valleys and Wednesday for the mountains and deserts.

Temperatures Soar as Southern California’s Heat Wave Intensifies

High temperatures are expected to continue Sunday as Southern California’s heat wave intensifies, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say the weather system that has been building over Southern California is strengthening and will cause temperatures to keep climbing higher. Temperatures are predicted to be in the low to mid-80s at the beaches and in the 90s to 100s inland. Cooling centers have opened up throughout the Southland for those needing refuge from the heat.

California Drought Causes Largest Die-Off of Sierra Nevada Forests

California’s drought and a bark beetle epidemic have caused the largest die-off of Sierra Nevada forests in modern history, raising fears that trees could come crashing down on people or fuel deadly wildfires that could wipe out mountain communities.

Aerial images show vast forests that have turned a rust-color. The epidemic has killed an estimated 40 million trees since 2010 in the central and southern Sierra, and it’s spreading north.

Dangerous Fires, Extreme Heat Causes Misery Across Southern California

A monster heat wave descended on Southern California on Sunday, bringing triple-digit temperatures across a large swath of the region and fueling dangerous fires in Silver Lake and San Diego County.

The Border Fire east of San Diego had burned 1,500 acres, and officials were evacuating the town of Potrero. As of noon, numerous areas had exceeded 100 degrees, including Burbank, Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills, Fullerton, Glendale and Riverside. The 106-degree reading in Burbank set a new record for the day and Woodland Hills tied its record. One National Weather Service weather site showed a 112-degree reading in Beverly Hills.