Warmest winter on record worsens Calif. drought
By Laila Kearney, Reuters
SAN FRANCISCO — California is coming off of its warmest winter on record, aggravating an enduring drought in the most populous state, federal weather scientists said Monday.
The state had a average temperature of 48 for December, January and February, an increase from 47.2 F in 1980-81, the last hottest winter, and more than 4 degrees hotter than the 20th-century average in California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement.
Warmer winters could make the already parched state even drier by making it less likely for snow to accumulate in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, NOAA spokesman Brady Phillips said. That snow, melting in the spring and summer and running down through the state’s rivers, is vital for providing water in the summer, when the state typically experiences little rain.
after the 80-81 winter we had two of the biggest winters ever in 81-82 & 82-83, the latter being number one all time in recorded snowfall, something over 800 inches at Norden station.
One can only hope for a similar scenario the next two years.
Sure hope it happens, Dan. I remember those winters. I couldn’t find my car April 1 1982. It was awesome!
In the meantime, I’m going to hope for a (very) wet April. Could happen. But this combination of warmth and wind is just sucking the moisture out of everything right now. We’ll have to be super vigilant next summer if we don’t want a repeat of 2007.
Dan. First we need to get past the fire season before we even think of next “winter.” I have lived in town for about 40 years and this is just plan weird. January in Tahoe used to mean powder days, not any more. June-uary seems to be the rule now.