Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WARMEST WINTER ON RECORD
DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
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California had its warmest winter (and driest year to March)

The warmest winter on record has worsened the persistent drought across the Golden State, according to the latest data released by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

The most overpopulated state in the U.S. experienced an average temperature of 8.9ºC (48 degrees) between December and February, more than 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.4ºF) hotter than the 20th-century average, exceeding the previous record, set in 1980/81, by 0.4ºC (0.8ºF).

California also experienced its driest year to winter by March on record, with the average precipitation 4.5 inches which was 38% of last winter’s 11.7 inches.

In comparison, the winter precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. reached 5.69 inches, 1.10 inches below long-term average, making the it the ninth driest winter on record.

Much of the West and Great Plains were much drier than average. Arizona (fourth warmest winter), California (warmest winter, and driest bu March), New Mexico, and Texas (lowest reservoir levels in 25 years) each had a top ten dry winter season, said NCDC.

Below-average precipitation was prevalent in parts of the Southeast, the Northern and Southern Plains, and the Southwest. Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma had February precipitation totals that were top ten dry, said NCDC.

California Drought Conditions

As of March 11, 2014, at least (!) 99.99 percent of California was covered by drought conditions, including 22.37 percent in Exceptional Drought, 43.53 percent in Extreme Drought and  24.91 percent in Severe Drought.

California Drought Map as of March 11, 2014. Source: US Drought Monitor. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

FIRE-EARTH 2009 Forecast: Desertification of California in the Near Future Is Almost a Certainty

[NOTE: The above forecast and most of the links posted below have previously been filtered/censored by Google, WordPress and others. Editor ]

• California: Biggest Desert in N America August 16, 2009
• Warning: California Is Being Mojavefied!
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• Alaska: One Fire Away From Exporting Charcoal
• Calif Drought: Schwarzenegger declares a state of emergency
• Images of the Day: California Drought & Folsom Lake
• Desertification
• California ‘Mojavefied’ by 2011?
• Land degradation threatens 1.5 billion people
• Topsoil
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities

• Schwarzenegger Proclaims Water Emergency in Nine Counties
• Drought
• A Few Extreme Events Away
• Image of the Day: Southern Spain
• Schwarzenegger Proclaims Water Emergency in Nine Counties

Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California

Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.

Related Links

• ‘Until the Wells Run Dry’ March 10, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 12 States March 7, 2014
• California “Mega Drought” Intensifies  February 28, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in Three States February 27, 2014
• EXTREME and EXCEPTIONAL Drought Conditions Spread in California February 20, 2014
• California Drought Could Worsen Water Contamination February 19, 2014
• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIA LOOMS February 2, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014

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