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Dry January and Rain-free Forecast Puts All Hope in a Miracle March

/in , , /by /The Press Democratby Mary Callahan

There’s the kind of Dry January that follows an overly indulgent holiday season, where you swear off alcohol for the first 31 days of the new year.

Then there’s the kind we just had, where, except for a few errant spits of rain, the skies remained clear for an entire month with no significant rain in sight.

It won’t be the first time January has been dry, from a strictly meteorological perspective. And it’s not the worst thing that can happen, assuming there’s been sufficient rain in advance or in the months ahead.

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After Snowy December, California Suddenly Turns Dry, Magnifying Drought Concern

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Jacob Feuerstein

California is approximately halfway through what may be the most closely watched wet season in state history. A rainy October and snowy December brought some relief from the extensive, multiyear drought, but a vanishingly dry January portends continuing water challenges.

Parts of central California have seen a record lack of precipitation so far this month.

What happens in the weeks ahead will have huge implications for the summer dry season. Almost all of the precipitation that nourishes soil and fills reservoirs in the western United States falls from November through March.

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Sierra Snow Levels Still Above Average, More Storms Predicted First Week of February

/in , , /by /NBC Bay Areaby Bay City News

The National Weather Service in Sacramento tweeted Sunday that, despite California having a mostly dry January, snow depth and snow water content “is looking good and still running above average for this time of year.”

Currently, the Northern Sierra is at about 113 percent of what is considered the normal amount of snow for this time of year. Central Sierra snow is at about 109 percent. Overall, the state has about 111 percent of its average snowpack right now, thanks to the record-breaking storms that came toward the end of 2021.

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Drought Remains a Threat Even After Wet December

/in , , /by /Orange County Registerby Martin Wisckol

Despite December’s heavy rains and record snowfall, water agencies remain geared up for California’s two-year-old drought to extend through 2022.

The precipitation did bring encouraging signs, including a Dec. 30 report from the Department of Water Resources that the snowpack at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada is at a healthy level. The 78 inches of snow was 202% of the average for the site at that time of year, offering hope for an abundance of the imported water used in much of Southern California.

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Lake Oroville Rises 89 Feet, Power Plant Resumes Operation After December Rains

/in , , /by /Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers
After two years of setbacks and struggles due to a severe drought, California got some good water news on Tuesday. The reservoir behind the tallest dam in the state and the nation, Lake Oroville in Butte County, now has enough water in it after heavy December rains that the power plant began operating again.
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California Reservoirs Continue to Rise After Major Winter Storms

/in , , /by /KXTVby Rob Carlmark

California has seen big changes in reservoir levels so far this rainy season and the trend is up for the foreseeable future.

At the beginning of the water year for 2020-2021, some major reservoirs, such as Lake Oroville, were at record lows. California’s well-known reliance on water capture and transport was under severe strain until a record October storm provided quick relief.

 

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Improved North Bay Reservoir Levels a Hopeful Sign for 2022

/in , , /by /The Press Democratby Mary Callahan

Winter rains have bolstered water storage in the region’s two key public reservoirs, reversing months of decline and starting off 2022 with hopes for a less-uncertain year ahead.

A lot depends on how the remainder of the rainy season shakes out. After rain this week, the forecast calls for dry weather later this month,  followed by months in which the North  Coast stands an equal chance of above-normal and below-normal precipitation under La Niña atmospheric conditions.

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Precipitation Since Oct. 1 Tops Previous Full ‘Water Year’ in California

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Jessica Flores

More precipitation has fallen on California during its current “water year” than in the full prior 12-month span, the National Weather Service says.

The downpours and mountain storms of recent weeks have helped boost the state’s precipitation volume to 33.9 trillion gallons thus far for the water year that began Oct. 1, compared to the previous water year’s 33.6 trillion gallons, the service said Sunday. Lake Tahoe by comparison contains roughly 40 trillion gallons.

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Climate Change Makes Projecting Lake Mead and Colorado River Levels Tricky

/in , , /by /Spectrum News 1by Sarah Pilla

There’s a white line known as the bathtub ring around Lake Mead. It’s a constant reminder for Boating Lake Mead’s Director of Operations, Bruce Nelson. The lake is at a historically low 1,067-feet above sea level, affecting boat launch ramps and customers.

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Opinion: Welcome the Bout of Winter Storms, Just Don’t Call Them Drought Busters

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Editorial Board

A series of storms have made for an exceptionally rainy and snowy start to California’s winter season, pushing snowpack and precipitation well above 150% of normal for this time of year and bringing a welcome influx of moisture amid an ongoing drought.

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