If we had known a year ago that this winter would be so dry, would we have conserved water more aggressively last summer? Would ski resorts have installed more snowmaking equipment? Would farmers buy different seeds to plant this spring? These are among the tantalizing questions raised by a team of government and university scientists, who believe […]
Sacramento County is leading a lawsuit accusing state officials of holding illegal secret meetings about the controversial Delta tunnels project. The county, joined by the city of Stockton, several Delta water agencies and a group of environmental organizations, sued the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday. The suit claims officials with the state water […]
After months of relatively dry weather in California, this winter’s biggest storm to date is set to deliver rain at lower elevations and feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. That’s good news for the precipitation-starved state, but will this storm be enough to mitigate the growing number of areas facing severe drought? The National Weather […]
At this time of year, temperatures in the Arctic circle usually linger around the -22°F (-30°C) mark, with the region still cloaked in perpetual darkness. However, the region is experiencing one of the warmest Februarys on record, with temperatures for the area north of 80 degrees latitude currently averaging 17.6°F (-20°C)–more than 36°F (20°C) above […]
California currently provides two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts, but according to a new study published Tuesday, by the end of the century California’s climate will no longer be able to support the state’s major crops, including orchards. The report, published in “Agronomy,” warns that the increased rate and scale of climate change is “beyond the realm of […]
A weak storm system brought little rain to Ventura County on Monday and Tuesday, providing a disappointing end to a typically wet month. According to the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, most communities in the county got less than one-tenth of an inch of precipitation between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The exception was in Thousand […]
How Much Snow Next Winter? It May Not Remain A Mystery Much Longer
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Water Deeply (New York)by Matt WeiserIf we had known a year ago that this winter would be so dry, would we have conserved water more aggressively last summer? Would ski resorts have installed more snowmaking equipment? Would farmers buy different seeds to plant this spring? These are among the tantalizing questions raised by a team of government and university scientists, who believe […]
Sacramento County Alleges Secret Meetings Over Delta Tunnels, Files Lawsuit
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /The Sacramento Beeby Dale KaslerSacramento County is leading a lawsuit accusing state officials of holding illegal secret meetings about the controversial Delta tunnels project. The county, joined by the city of Stockton, several Delta water agencies and a group of environmental organizations, sued the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday. The suit claims officials with the state water […]
Can One Monster Storm Save California From Drought?
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Curbed San Franciscoby Megan BarberAfter months of relatively dry weather in California, this winter’s biggest storm to date is set to deliver rain at lower elevations and feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. That’s good news for the precipitation-starved state, but will this storm be enough to mitigate the growing number of areas facing severe drought? The National Weather […]
Freakish Warming Causes Arctic Temperatures To Rise Nearly 40 Degrees Above Normal
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /NewsWeek (New York)by Aristos GeorgiouAt this time of year, temperatures in the Arctic circle usually linger around the -22°F (-30°C) mark, with the region still cloaked in perpetual darkness. However, the region is experiencing one of the warmest Februarys on record, with temperatures for the area north of 80 degrees latitude currently averaging 17.6°F (-20°C)–more than 36°F (20°C) above […]
Study: Climate Change Threatens Major Crops In California
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /KQED Science (San Francisco)by Amel AhmedCalifornia currently provides two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts, but according to a new study published Tuesday, by the end of the century California’s climate will no longer be able to support the state’s major crops, including orchards. The report, published in “Agronomy,” warns that the increased rate and scale of climate change is “beyond the realm of […]
When It Comes To Rain, Ventura County Needs ‘Miracle March’
/in California and the U.S. /by Mike Lee /Ventura County Starby Christian MartinezA weak storm system brought little rain to Ventura County on Monday and Tuesday, providing a disappointing end to a typically wet month. According to the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, most communities in the county got less than one-tenth of an inch of precipitation between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The exception was in Thousand […]