A great story on the drought in Santa Barbara from the innovative Mission and State publication includes this jaw-dropper on the rich in Montecito from Alex Kacik: Despite a combined population of about 10,400 people, Montecito and Summerland residents use much more water—particularly when it comes to maintaining their lush landscapes—than most cities in the county.Continue reading “Montecito rich ignore drought, guzzle millions of gallons”
Tag Archives: drought
Drought comes to Ventura county: VC Star
Drought can be a slow-motion crisis, and that's what it's looking like here in Ventura County, from an in-depth story from the Ventura County Star: During this third year of drought, crops in Ventura County will go unplanted, farmworkers will lose jobs, plants and trees will see more salt-related stress and growers will begin followingContinue reading “Drought comes to Ventura county: VC Star”
Everything you always wanted to know about drought*
Four of us from the Ojai Valley area, all concerned citizens from very different backgrounds, think that we need to talk frankly about the drought, and more, do what we can about it. Not just for ourselves, our properties, gardens, orchards, trees, lands, and wildlife, but also for our community.
Scariest drought image of the year (to date)
From a tree-ring scientist, Ed Cook, what has to be the scariest drought image for the West. Click to enlarge. Via Andrew Revkin's tumblr blog.
As trade winds strengthen, more drought for CA?
Much of climate science is settled and doesn't need repeating. We know that injecting increasing amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere leads to warming, for instance. But how that warming will play out in atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns, although often discussed, remains to be seen. Several past studies suggested warming could lead toContinue reading “As trade winds strengthen, more drought for CA?”
Looking to past droughts to foresee CA’s future
The past is never dead. The past is not even past. When William Faulkner wrote that, he was thinking of human history, but it's true on here on planet earth as well. Cycles repeat. For that reason, and because they were troubled by the drought they saw in the deep time record, paleoclimatologist B. LynnContinue reading “Looking to past droughts to foresee CA’s future”
The upside of drought in SoCal: Winter sunsets
The lack of rain, which depends on a lack of low clouds and overcast conditions, can make possible some utterly spectacular sunsets. This one from Death Valley in late December, courtesy of David Huscher. Here's one I saw on the PCT from a place in the San Gabriel Mountains called Camp Guffy, at about 8200Continue reading “The upside of drought in SoCal: Winter sunsets”
Ridiculously Resilient Ridge to break down: NWS
Yesterday an exciting pressure chart came my way via the indefatiguable John Fleck of the Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, which has had no perceptible precipitation to date this winter, is as interested in the so-called "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge" of high pressure that has been blocking any possible weather from the Pacific as we are here inContinue reading “Ridiculously Resilient Ridge to break down: NWS”
“Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” explains West Coast drought
That's the meteorological explanation: a ridge of high pressure over the West Coast that has been blocking weather from the Pacific, driving it north, leaving the entire West Coast in drought. But what explains the so-called "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge?". That we really don't know yet and the climatologists are loathe to speculate. One spot ofContinue reading ““Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” explains West Coast drought”
The Republican response to climate change: Luckovich
It's been unbearably hot and dry this week, as is not unusually the case in this part of Southern California in early September…but could the extreme dryness of the state be contributing to our heat wave? An attribution study — looking at the possible contribution from climate change to extreme weather events –from the AmericanContinue reading “The Republican response to climate change: Luckovich”
Kit Stolz 