Tag Archives: California

CA leading on climate as well as water: LA Times

Yesterday the NYTimes’ lead op-ed in the Sunday Review was about how California is Winning the Drought (as discussed here a couple of days ago) from a respected author on water issues. Today the lead op-ed in the editorial pages of the LATimes comes from a well-known expert on drought, who argues that California isContinue reading “CA leading on climate as well as water: LA Times”

It’s the fourth year of drought in CA. How are we doing?

It’s the fourth year of drought in California. We’re suffering big fires in Northern California, employment drops and spikes of poverty in the Central Valley, and asking for unprecedented conservation in Southern California. We’re also seeing huge impacts on groundwater and to wildlife statewide. We’re hurting. But is it possible that despite our losses theContinue reading “It’s the fourth year of drought in CA. How are we doing?”

Not again! Meteorologists abuzz about El Nino in drought

Last year at this time a huge wave of heat was detected propagating as the scientists say through surface waters from east to west across the Pacific. Ultimately a series of such "Kelvin waves"  went on to warm much of the tropical Pacific, and waters along the West Coast, resulting in huge changes in sealife.Continue reading “Not again! Meteorologists abuzz about El Nino in drought”

PDO turns positive: what does this mean for West Coast?

It's crazy how warm the Pacific is these days. Yet another story from the hard-working Chris Mooney at the Washington Post points to "the blob" of warmth in the Pacific off California. Here's a map of sea surface temperature anomalies that gives an idea of that blob: It's been extraordinarily warm in the Pacific, and inContinue reading “PDO turns positive: what does this mean for West Coast?”

Ventura County: Highest pesticide use in California

Spectacular story for The Food and Environment Network, published in The Nation, by Liza Gross. For Ventura County and Oxnard, here's the nut of it:  Use of many of these sixty-six pesticides has fallen statewide since 2007. But a handful of communities saw a dramatic increase. By 2012, the most recent year for which dataContinue reading “Ventura County: Highest pesticide use in California”

California vs. the megadrought

Disasters by their nature are enormously loud, chaotic, disruptive events. Think the scream of hurricane winds, the crashing of boulders in floods, the phenomenal roar of a huge wildfire. Drought is different. Drought stays quiet. Its powers cannot be seen directly, save in the unblinking glare of the sun. Drought lacks drama.  Yet — as oneContinue reading “California vs. the megadrought”

A Cubist from California (with wit)

At the Museum of Modern Art is an exhibit of modern abstract painters, the first since an epochal show from l958. It's called The Forever Now. The title hints at the problem facing the painters in the show: what can be painted that hasn't been painted before? Or, as Peter Schdjeldahl puts it in TheContinue reading “A Cubist from California (with wit)”

Uh-oh CA: Ridiculously Resilient Ridge is back

Despite a couple of mild rains, we haven't seen any sizeable precipitation in some time. Craig Miller of KQED in San Francisco explains why: You might’ve noticed a conspicuous absence lately: rain. In fact, with a scant few days remaining in the month, much of Northern California is on track for a record-dry January. TheContinue reading “Uh-oh CA: Ridiculously Resilient Ridge is back”

Atmospheric River to hit Bay Area, maybe SoCal

Eric Holthaus, a journalist/meteorologist for Slate, fills us in on the good news of an atmospheric river hitting California this week.  This week’s storm will usher in an atmospheric river event, also known as the “pineapple express,” peaking late Wednesday and Thursday. The National Weather Service office in the Bay Area has predicted “the strongest stormContinue reading “Atmospheric River to hit Bay Area, maybe SoCal”