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Climate Change is Rapidly Accelerating in California, State Report Says

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

Wildfires, drought, extreme heat and other effects of climate change are rapidly accelerating and compounding in California, according to a report from state scientists.

The fourth edition of “Indicators of Climate Change in California,” released Tuesday, paints a stark picture of the escalating climate crisis and documents how global reliance on fossil fuels has had wide-ranging effects on the state’s weather, water and residents.

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Stockton Residents Now Required to Reduce Water Use by 20%. See Latest Water Restrictions

/in , , /by /Recordnet.comby Hannah Workman

The extreme heat seen throughout the west is causing household lawns to cry out for water.

In July, the Stockton City Council adopted a resolution declaring a Stage 2 Water Shortage Emergency in response to the ongoing drought and record-low reservoir levels in California.

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August is Coming. Prepare for Climate Calamity

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy Roth

Lake Siskiyou is beautiful this time of year.

About 200 miles north of Sacramento, the artificial reservoir — formed by a dam on the Sacramento River — is ringed by quiet beaches that offer a cool respite from triple-digit heat. The views of Mt. Shasta are spectacular. When I visited last week, I saw double-crested cormorants, ospreys and great blue herons soaring over the water and ducklings swimming with their mother.

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Grid Monitor Warns of U.S. Blackouts in ‘Sobering Report’

/in , /by /E&E Newsby Peter Behr and Jason Plautz

The central and upper Midwest, Texas and Southern California face an increased risk of power outages this summer from extreme heat, wildfires and extended drought, the nation’s grid monitor warned yesterday.

In a dire new assessment, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) described regions of the country pushed closer than ever toward energy emergencies by a combination of climate change impacts and a transition from traditional fossil fuel generators to carbon-free renewable power.

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California Prepares for Energy Shortfalls in Hot, Dry Summer

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Kathleen Ronayne

California likely will have an energy shortfall equivalent to what it takes to power about 1.3 million homes when use is at its peak during the hot and dry summer months, state officials said Friday.

Threats from drought, extreme heat and wildfires, plus supply chain and regulatory issues hampering the solar industry will create challenges for energy reliability this summer, the officials said. They represented the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s energy grid.

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California Records Driest Year in a Century

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Laura Anaya-Morga

In a year of both extreme heat and extreme drought, California has reported its driest water year in terms of precipitation in a century, and experts fear the coming 12 months could be even worse.

The Western Regional Climate Center added average precipitation that had been reported at each of its stations and calculated that a total of 11.87 inches of rain and snow fell in California in the 2021 water year. That’s half of what experts deem average during a water year in California: about 23.58 inches.

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Study Reveals Effects of Extreme Heat on Tens of Millions of Americans

/in , , /by

The summer of 2020 brought fear of Covid-19, social distancing – and heat-related health problems that affects tens of millions of Americans.

During those months, more than a quarter of the US population suffered from the effects of extreme heat, according to a study released this week. People reported health symptoms like nausea and cramps, as well as a decreased ability to focus, and the effects hit low-income households the hardest.

The study focuses on last summer but given the brutal heatwaves that have hit the US in 2021, especially in western states, it raises the prospect that the impact of extreme heat is highly likely to be worse this year.

Sacramento Residents Asked to Cut Water Usage as California Drought, Intense Heat Worsen

/in , , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler

The city of Sacramento, invoking its water shortage contingency plan, asked residents Wednesday to reduce consumption by 10% as California’s drought intensifies. City Manager Howard Chan moved the city into Stage 1 of its contingency plan, which mandates a 10% cut by city government and a voluntary call to residents and businesses to do the same, according to spokesman Carlos Eliason. If additional measures need to be taken, they would require action by the City Council.

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Head of California Grid Expresses ‘Guarded Optimism’ About Avoiding Summer Blackouts

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein

The head of California’s electric grid said Wednesday he is “guardedly optimistic” that the state will avoid rotating blackouts this summer, but warned that voluntary cooperation during Flex Alerts will be necessary.

Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator, said utilities throughout the state have built up power reserves and invested in new technology like battery storage to prevent blackouts like the ones in 2020.

But recent record heat in California and the Pacific Northwest combined with a drought that will reduce hydropower give him cause for concern.

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Western Governors Make Bipartisan Plea as States Battle Record Heat and Drought

/in , , /by /CNN Politicsby Chandelis Duster

A pair of governors on Sunday called on the federal government for help and pushed for solutions as their states grapple with recording-breaking temperatures, drought and wildfires that officials have said is being driven by climate change.

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