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L.A.’s Wettest Month In Years Will Continue Through To New Year’s Eve

Los Angeles County could see between a quarter-inch and half-inch of rain Friday as the first of two anticipated storm systems passes through the region this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. The rainfall will add to what is already the wettest month recorded in downtown Los Angeles since December 2010, said David Sweet, a weather service meteorologist. So far this month, the area has seen 4 inches of rain, nearly double the historical average for December. On Friday, there’s an 80% chance of rain forecast at 4 a.m., with a possibility of showers returning Friday night, Sweet said.

 

Rush Is On To Seal Colorado River Deal

With the prospect of reduced Colorado River deliveries as early as 2018, U.S. and Mexican negotiators have been in a race against the clock to forge an agreement that involves sharing any future shortages — and are hoping for a signing before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Water managers on both sides of the border say the accord will be crucial in spelling out how the U.S. and Mexico would take cuts when a shortage is declared on the river, a lifeline for some 40 million people in both countries.

 

Water Rates Going Up 6.6% For Residential, 8.3% For Growers

Your water rates are going up after January 1. Here’s why. Valley Center Municipal Water District (VCMWD) customers in 2017 will be hit by a series of water rate and fixed charge increases after the first of the New Year that are all higher than the annual rate of inflation, but which reflect real price increases that the district must make up since deficit spending is not a viable option.

Reliable Water Supply Not Such A Pipe Dream

Many years ago, leaders in our region came together to figure out how to ensure a reliable water supply for the future. They recognized not just the importance of water to our quality of life, but how essential it is for a healthy economy.

BLOG: Tunnel Construction In 2018?

A press release last week about the release of 97,000 pages of final environmental documents for the Delta tunnels says construction will begin “as soon as 2018.” We’ve heard projections like that before. In January 2009, the Schwarzenegger administration said construction on a peripheral canal — the predecessor to the tunnels — would start in 2011. Nearly eight years later, here we are still talking.

 

First Days Of 2017 Will Be Cold, Possibly Rainy

Bay Area residents will experience a drop in temperatures this weekend, as a flow of air from Canada moves south into Northern California. Temperatures are expected to dip into the 30s on New Years morning, but areas closer to the water—such as San Francisco—will stay slightly warmer. Meteorologists predict morning temperatures of 45 degrees on Jan. 1. Cold weather will continue into Monday and Tuesday in San Francisco, where daily highs may not reach 50 degrees.

 

 

 

BLOG: The Seven Key Things That Happened In California Water In 2016

This year has been a big one for water. California is still mired in drought, although less of the state is suffering than in previous years and each winter rainstorm brings a fresh bit of optimism. A large reserve of groundwater was found deep under the drought-stricken Central Valley, recycled water continues to gain in popularity, flooding to help fish and farmers is panning out and 2016 will likely wrap up as the hottest year on record. Below are seven other significant milestones that impacted California water and will help shape the year ahead.

More Rain And First Major Snow Dump Of Winter

More rain during the middle of the week and at the end was joined by the largest snowfall since the first week of the year. Pine Cove received another 3 inches of rain. The 3.3 inches last week brought the total rain since July 1, to 13.5 inches. This is nearly 50 percent greater than the long-term average rainfall of 9.2 inches through the end of December.

Climatologist Predicts A Wet Winter, But Warns The Drought Isn’t Over

Los Angeles received about five times the amount of rain this December than it did during the same month last year. William Patzert, a climatologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has attributed our wetter weather to several changes, including a dissipated “blob” and an absent La Niña condition. Though this is good news, Patzert said it’ll take more than a single rainy season to quench California’s drought.

A New Year Without El Niño

On New Year’s Eve, local groundfish might have a reason to celebrate. In the angling community over the past couple winters, our lucky New Year’s baby has been the El Niño conditions that kept yellowtail and tuna close to home in the winter. This winter, as the pelagic species have moved south and water temps are around 60 degrees, boats have returned to target rockcod, sheephead, and whitefish.