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U.S. Drought Monitor: less than 20% of the CA faces any drought conditions

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W

whyamihere

Banned
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/...ry.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

700x394


A year ago, some Californians never thought this day would come.

But after being battered by weeks of record-setting rain, the vast majority of the state is out of drought.

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, less than 20% of the state faces any drought conditions and no place in California faces “extreme” or “exceptional” drought.

In recent weeks, parts of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties remain in serious drought. But the recent rains appear to have solved that problem. Cachuma Lake in that region rose 31 feet during the rains. And this dramatic time lapse video show how much it changed.

A year ago, more than 90% of the state was still in some form of drought.

Parts of Northern California are on track to have their wettest winter on record, with the storms causing major flooding and massive snow deposits. Southern California is having its wettest winter in years.

Earlier this month. the State Water Resources Control Board held firm in the face of opposition and extended emergency drought regulations, pledging to revisit them in May, when the traditional rainy season has ended.

The storms have replenished California’s water delivery system, which takes snow from the Sierra Nevadas and send it south to cities and farms.

But groundwater shortages remain in many areas, including the southern Central Valley.

Board members said it was most prudent to wait until the rainy season ends and assess the conditions statewide before making changes in regulations.

The drought’s end comes thanks in large part to atmospheric rivers – warm weather systems that flow east from Hawaii and the western Pacific. They carry huge amounts of moisture and provide the majority of California’s water.
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B

Black Mamba

Member
It's kind of funny because we were told last year the big El Nino stuff was coming and then it didn't (at least down south).

But this winter? boy oh boy.
 
A

adamantypants

Member
FantasticMrFoxdie said:
the CA is where its at


Hopefully Californians continue to conserve water for the summer which will probably be hot and dry as fuck
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I don't personally know many Californians who went out of their own way to conserve water. But that's me living in Las Vegas so I don't exactly have a great perspective.
 
S

Sean C

Member
Hopefully they have the sense to continue their water conservation measures and allow the water table to recover a bit.
 
S

SpecX

Member
FantasticMrFoxdie said:
the CA is where its at


Hopefully Californians continue to conserve water for the summer which will probably be hot and dry as fuck
Click to expand...

Most will as a lot of people have moved to drought tolerant yards and even regular people have been buying rain water collectors/storage to use. With all this water and moisture, I'm expecting Summer to start off kind of humid which is going to suck.

I'm hoping the state invests in better water storage solutions so we don't waste extremely wet seasons like this.
 
H

harSon

Banned
I'm looking forward to being able to wash my car at home.

I'll be damned if I pay $25 for a decent hand wash. I've been outside utilizing the rain with a bucket, soap and wax to wash that shit lately.
 
I

iavi

Member
I guess this is the pattern going forward? Extreme heat during the summer, and extreme rain during the winter season because of the heat
 
M

Magus1234

Member
adamantypants said:
I don't personally know many Californians who went out of their own way to conserve water. But that's me living in Las Vegas so I don't exactly have a great perspective.
Click to expand...

It happens subtly, a lot of companies/houses get new toilets installed, different sinks and showers that use a fraction of the water normally used. Also laws were in place that forbid you to use your hose for certain things. It all adds up, but really I think only like 10 or 20 percent of the water usage problem was via people. The real issue was companies.
 
B

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
Enjoy it now, I'm sure when the pendulum swings back its gonna be much worse than it was.

Trojita said:
Meanwhile it's spring on the East Coast with nice levels of humidity.
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Its so beautiful right now. Feels like a wonderful May day... In February 😯
 
T

TheSaddestSort

Member
The rain has been much needed, though the ground water situation is still years from reaching normal levels. Still jazzed about the rain we've been getting though!
 
T

Tagyhag

Member
It's great to see, hopefully people still make adjustments (Especially farmers) so we don't have a bigger problem next time.
 
S

see5harp

Member
adamantypants said:
I don't personally know many Californians who went out of their own way to conserve water. But that's me living in Las Vegas so I don't exactly have a great perspective.
Click to expand...

What? Nearly everyone I know has sprinklers on a very strict schedule. I hadn't watered my lawn since BEFORE last summer.
 
S

Syncytia

Member
Gentleman Jack said:
It doesn't take very long to get back to where we were, stay vigilant.
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I'm pretty concerned about this tbh. There's been a lot of "No more drought!!" this winter. We have no idea what the rainfall will be like next year...this year is abnormal by any standard. Next winter could be back to what it's been the past few years.
 
G

Gentleman Jack

Member
Syncytia said:
I'm pretty concerned about this tbh. There's been a lot of "No more drought!!" this winter. We have no idea what the rainfall will be like next year...this year is abnormal by any standard. Next winter could be back to what it's been the past few years.
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100% we should be planning as if the next five years were like the last five years, but unfortunately local water boards are gonna be like 'drought over time to start spraying your hose all over your sidewalk and sprinkling your lawn at noon in August!'
 
M

Maxinas

Member
It's still fucking hot as hell in the middle of winter, i can't imagine how hot summer will get this year. Last year it was constantly at 90+ degrees in Los Angeles midday. At most this will last for a few months, and if this heavy rain doesn't happen at least every so often, we're back in a drought for sure.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
If I had to decide whether to be able to use as much water as I want, take as long of showers as I want, wash my car if I want, and water my lawn or plants as much as I want

or to be able to eat almonds.

Fuck almonds.
 
G

ghostofsparta

Member
Too much rain honestly. So many roads in Norcal are fucked up, like completely. On major highways (680, 580, 880) there's a lot of new potholes. Plz god make it stop
 
L

Little Old Man

Member
I don't think most people realise that climate change will lead to more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns like this. There might have been an extreme deluge this year, which could then be followed by several years of drought, a 'normal' year of weather, another hot summer followed by another winter deluge.

Instead most will see this as 'problem solved' and governments will again fail to prepare for any extreme outcomes.
 
H

hipbabboom

Huh? What did I say? Did I screw up again? :(
It's all going to dry up eventually. Not like Californians can handle maintaining the conservation measures. I already have aspirations for four daily showers and separating laundry by ROYGBIV.
 
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