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Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season

/in , /by /KQED by Craig Miller

The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that California’s persistent drought-like conditions could last through the winter and into spring, possibly fueling another grueling fire season in 2021.

Currently, three-quarters of California is experiencing at least moderate drought conditions.

“Keep in mind, we’re coming off the driest May-through-October period, statewide at least, across California, Arizona and New Mexico,” said Mark Svoboda of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska.

Forecasting three to four months out is a dodgy proposition for scientists, but NOAA’s modeling shows the likelihood of relatively dry weather through February.

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Dry Conditions in California Continue to Expand, but Will March Rains Dent the Drought?

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Paul Duginski

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor data, released Thursday, show that about 48% of California is in moderate drought. That’s up from 34% a week ago.

An additional 30% of the state is abnormally dry, according to the data.

The data were compiled Tuesday, so the figures do not reflect moisture from Southern California’s most recent storm.

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California Drought: Northern California Having Driest February Since 1864

/in , /by /The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)by Paul Rogers

With unusually dry, hot weather continuing for weeks on end and the driest February in the Bay Area in 156 years, nearly a quarter of California’s land area now is under drought conditions, federal officials announced Thursday.

Altogether, 23.3% of the state is in “moderate drought” — up from 9.5% last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly report issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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