Dry February sends California back to drought: 'This hasn't happened in 150 years'

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Dry February sends California back to drought: 'This hasn't happened in 150 years'

February is typically one of the wettest months in California, but the state is parched, and there’s no moisture in the forecasts

Susie Cagle
Fri 21 Feb 2020 11.00 GMT
Last modified on Fri 21 Feb 2020 11.14 GMT

San Francisco and Sacramento have not seen a drop of rain this February, and climate scientists are expecting that disturbing dry trend to hold, in what is typically one of the wettest months of the year for California.

“This hasn’t happened in 150 years or more,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. “There have even been a couple wildfires – which is definitely not something you typically hear about in the middle of winter.”

Combined with warmer than average temperatures, the state is parched, and there is no moisture in the forecasts. “The dryness has picked up as the season has gone on,” said Swain.

The year began with snowpack at 90% of its historical average. But less than two dry, warm months later, it’s hanging in at just 52% of average.

“Those numbers are going to continue to go down,” said Swain. “I would guess that the 1 March number is going to be less than 50%.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/21/california-drought-february-rain-snow-pack-sierra

[Iliyah]

1. And shithole banned requested water for California farmers . . .

He hates California.

Anywho, maybe a little rain tomorrow.

[bronxiteforever]

2. +1 The entire GOP hates California

[progree]

3. Trump signs order diverting water TO California farmers against state wishes,

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142435627

Trump signs order diverting water to California farmers against state wishes, The Hill, 2/20/20

President Trump on Wednesday signed an order in California to reengineer the state's water plans, completing a campaign promise to funnel water from the north to a thirsty ag industry and growing population further south.

The ceremonial order comes after the Department of Interior late last year reversed its opinion on scientific findings that for a decade extended endangered species protections to various types of fish - a review that had been spurred by the order from Trump.

Trump said the changes to the "outdated scientific research and biological opinions" would now help direct "as much water as possible, which will be a magnificent amount, a massive amount of water for the use of California farmers and ranchers."

... Critics fear the new plan, which would allow large quantities of water to be diverted from the San Francisco Bay Delta to the Central Valley in order to irrigate farmland, would ultimately harm chinook salmon and the delta smelt, a finger-sized fish that for three decades has stood in the way of the diversion.