The California water situation looks highly favorable and it is about to get much better.
This is good news for California agriculture and excellent news for ending the threat of wildfires over southern CA.
Let's start with the predicted total precipitation (liquid water) through next Saturday from the excellent European Center global model (below).
Southern California gets hit hard (2-3 inches)...about 20% of their total annual precipitation in one storm. Large amounts over the Sierra Nevada and along the coast.
This snowfall will help move the current snowpack in central California from around 75% to the 80s. The snowpack in northern California is currently hugely above normal. Snowfall that will melt and provide water to the big northern reservoirs.
The predicted bounty of rain and snow will fall on a landscape with reservoir levels already above normal (see below).
The large northern reservoirs are well above normal, and the southern reservoirs are at or above historical levels. This is before the spring snowmelt and the upcoming storms.
Lake Mead is above 2023, about the same as 2022, and below 2024. This situation should improve with the substantial precipitation during the next week.
In summary, California is entering late winter in relatively good shape regarding water resources.
Let's just hope it doesn't cause flooding and mud flows into people's houses.
ReplyDeleteIt always seems to be an either or situation: Either California gets the rain, or we get it- even in the winter wet season. Almost never both at once. Right now, they are getting "our" rain.
ReplyDeleteIt's simple proximity, among other things.
DeleteGood news overall.
ReplyDelete