California is experiencing an extreme weather divide, with Northern California drenched by record rainfall and Southern California enduring a severe drought. This unusual situation benefits the state's water supplies as the northern rains replenish major reservoirs.
A pedestrian walks along a flooded street during a storm in Santa Rosa on Nov. 21, 2024. Photo by Jeff Chiu, AP Some Northern California cities have been soaked with almost twice their average rainfall, while southern cities are bone-dry. This season’s huge — possibly unprecedented — disparity works in favor of the state’s water supplies.
A remarkably wet kickoff to Northern California’s rainy season has coincided with a desperately dry fall in Southern California — a huge disparity, perhaps Los Angeles usually gets several inches of rain by now, halfway into the rainy season, but it’s only recorded a fifth of an inch downtown since July, its second driest period in almost At the same time, much of the northern third of the state has weathered nearly two months of storms, flooding and even tornadoes. Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco, has received more rain than nearly any other city in California — nearly two times its average rainfall to date. At the city’s airport, almost 7 inches fell on Nov. 20 alone, an all-time daily record. Northern California is always wetter than the semi-arid southern half. But the scale of the north-south gap that has persisted for several months has stunned experts. “There have been few if any years since 1895 … that have been so much above-normal in the northern part of the state while simultaneously so dry in the south,” Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist, wrote in his blog. He added, in an email exchange with CalMatters, that “it is likely that the current north-south disparity is record-breaking in magnitude by at least some metrics.” This season’s stark imbalance isn’t bad in terms of water supply. That’s because Northern California’s rain and snow feed major reservoirs, which provide much of the water used by Californians. If this occurred in reverse — a wet south and a dry north — most of the water would remain uncaptured, providing little benefit for supplie
California Drought Rainfall Weather Reservoirs
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Northern California Crews Assist Southern California in Drought ConditionsHigh winds, low humidity, and a returning drought status in Southern California have prompted CAL FIRE to deploy resources from Northern California to bolster fire protection. 45 engines, over 100 personnel, water tenders, bulldozers, and aircraft are being sent to high-risk areas. CAL FIRE officials emphasize the seriousness of Santa Ana wind events, which often trigger major wildfires during the winter months.
Read more »
Northern California Fire Crews Assist in Drought-Stricken Southern CaliforniaSanta Ana winds and dry conditions have prompted the deployment of firefighting crews from Northern California to assist in Southern California counties. Fears of large wildfires are heightened as the region faces drought conditions.
Read more »
California Squirrels Show Unprecedented Carnivorous BehaviorA new study reveals that California ground squirrels are actively preying on voles, marking the first documented instance of this species hunting live vertebrates. This discovery sheds light on the adaptability of these animals in the face of environmental changes.
Read more »
California Squirrels Show Unprecedented Carnivorous BehaviorA new study reveals that California ground squirrels are preying on voles, marking the first documentation of this species actively hunting and consuming live vertebrates. This discovery sheds light on the adaptability of these animals in the face of environmental changes.
Read more »
Unprecedented Wildfires Scorch Pacific Palisades in CaliforniaWildfires fueled by high winds are raging out of control across Los Angeles, consuming homes and forcing evacuations. The situation is unprecedented, even for a region accustomed to dealing with wildfires.
Read more »
Southern takes on Texas Southern, seeks to stop 4-game slideSouthern aims to end its four-game losing streak when the Jaguars take on Texas Southern. The teams square off Saturday for the first time this season. Texas Southern is 0-0 against the SWAC, and Southern is 0-0 against conference opponents.
Read more »