Tag Archives: drought

What is going on with the alleged El Nino of 2012?

Six months ago, temperatures in the equatorial Pacific suggested that, after two years under the influence of La Niña, which tends to mean cold dry winters here in Southern California, that our ocean was turning towards an El Niño condition. Under that condition, warm temperatures and westerlies in the equatorial Pacific predispose those of usContinue reading “What is going on with the alleged El Nino of 2012?”

Obama to blame for drought: John Boehner (R – Ohio)

Today John Boehner, who leads the Republican majority in the House, pointed the finger of blame at President Obama for the drought withering the Midwest. No, really. According to the Financial Times (reg. required) he said that "…the president continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself.”  Okay, maybe he just omittedContinue reading “Obama to blame for drought: John Boehner (R – Ohio)”

Seeing global warming: The New Yorker

The New Yorker's captivating Blown Covers blog offers a contest for images of global warming, with many of their best to date, including this old fav: The record-breaking heat wave that has hit the Midwest and much of the nation this spring and summer, the huge fires in Colorado this year and in Texas lastContinue reading “Seeing global warming: The New Yorker”

Drought-Proofing Ventura County

How a water district is trying to shelter 600,000 people in Ventura county from the potential for drought or disaster; how the first attempt went awry, and how the second one will work — we hope. (Climate change is in the background of this story, but I didn't get into the projections — no time.) Continue reading “Drought-Proofing Ventura County”

How dry will it be in California in 2012?

According to NOAA, La Niña is beginning to fade away in the Pacific, but it's probably too late to expect much precip this year. La Niña-like impacts are expected to persist into the upcoming season. For those of us who like rain, snow, and water, this is not great news. So far this year hasContinue reading “How dry will it be in California in 2012?”

A persistent La Niña leads to a long stretch of dryness

This year national weather and climate forecasters said they saw a La Niña condition developing in the Pacific, and promised dryness, as they did last year. This year, for virtually all of California, and much of the nation as well, they've been right. Here's the drought forecast, in a graphic from NOAA [National Oceanographic and AtmosphericContinue reading “A persistent La Niña leads to a long stretch of dryness”

Texas drought: “Years before the cows come home”

Today reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske took a potentially mundane story about how the drought in Texas is changing the traditional cattle business and wrote her way on to the front page of the Sunday Los Angeles Times with her boldness: The cowboys rose well before dawn, stars still high in the West Texas sky. They strapped onContinue reading “Texas drought: “Years before the cows come home””

12 million imperiled by crop failure in Africa: Why?

A month ago, in England, one could not pick up a newspaper without reading about the 12 million people who are imperiled by drought and starvation in the Horn of Africa.  So this morning it's good to see a major American newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, put the story of the worst famine in theContinue reading “12 million imperiled by crop failure in Africa: Why?”