El Nino and a Pineapple Express in CA Over for now, Drought Conditions Improving In Northern/Central CA

. . We can quantify the snowpack gains made in the Sierra during the past 10 days using what is called snow water equivalent. This is how much water the snowpack would contain if it was melted down instantaneously and is used to measure the snowpack in the Sierra and other mountainous areas. Roughly one-third of California's drinking water comes from the Sierra snowpack, which after melting later in the spring and summer replenishes the state's reservoirs.

The snow water equivalent in the northern Sierra is now 102 percent of the average to date for March 14, according to the California Department of Water Resources. This is up from 82 percent on March 4, which is an overall increase of 20 percent. A similar gain was made in the central Sierra which saw its snow water equivalent rise from 81 percent of average on March 4 to 94 percent of average as of March 14. The southern Sierra saw its March 14 snow water equivalent increase to 81 percent of average as of March 14 after starting the month around 70 percent of average.
[link to weather.com (secure)]

How is CA doing for snow this season? CA snow water equivalent 93% normal to date & 90% Apr 1 Avg

Above avg northern CA precip the first 1/2 of March has improved reservoirs dramatically! #cawater #drought #cawx
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/16/2016 03:06 PM

Published on Mar 16, 2016
Flooding at the Yolo Bypass, Fremont Weir and Sacramento Bypass. This is the first time since 2012 this extent of flooding has occurred.

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/16/2016 08:09 PM

Some improvement not yet significant, latest drought map with time lapse
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

w/o time lapse
[link to www.drought.gov]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/17/2016 10:13 PM

Daily Reservoir Storage Summary
Ending at midnight - 03/16/2016
For selected reservoirs in Northern and Southern California
[link to cdec.water.ca.gov]

NWS Sacramento;@NWSSacramento

Rain and snow on the way! Wet weather Sunday-Tuesday. #cawx
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Loop of Model Images
[link to weather.rap.ucar.edu]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/19/2016 12:36 PM

NWS Sacramento;@NWSSacramento

CA snowpack running at 91% of normal for this date. Northern Sierra/Trinity faring better than the south #caw

CA Snowpack Update as of March 18
Map
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/19/2016 01:00 PM

What a difference! Rivers & lakes running higher than last yr! More info from @NASA [link to earthobservatory.nasa.gov] … #cawx

Map Comparison March 18, 2015 to March 17,2016
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/19/2016 03:49 PM

Drought Monitor Map from March 2011 - March 15 2016, time lapse
[link to imgur.com]

Thanks for sharing info.

Been a long time since Camp Far West has been this full. #cadrought
[link to www.instagram.com (secure)]


Here's what it looks like up in Butte County. The greenest hills in years.
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

March 18, 2016 2:38 PM
Feds loosen up, offer 30 percent water allocation to Valley contractors

The drought is certainly not over, but the federal Bureau of Reclamation was optimistic enough to offer water suppliers in the Valley 30 percent of their contract allocations this year.

And several water agency officials believe more could be coming as well.

For the past two years, the allocation has been zero, which affects the amount of water for farming and urban interests on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley.

The city of Fresno, which would get 60,000 acre-feet with a 100 percent allocation, stands to be a significant beneficiary of the 30 percent allocation – about 18,000 acre-feet. The cities of Orange Cove and Lindsay, along with Madera County, are the other communities that will benefit...

Read more here: [link to www.fresnobee.com]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/23/2016 12:43 PM

HEADER #2 El Nino and a Pineapple Express in CA Over for now, Drought Conditions Improving, Tsunami Awareness Week - Testing Today

Tsunami Preparedness Week
March 20 -26
Testing on March 23

California’s 2016 Tsunami Preparedness Week is March 20-26. The National Weather Service and Cal OES will conduct a test of the Tsunami Warning System in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties between 11 a.m. and noon on March 23, using “live” tsunami codes to transmit the test message via NOAA All-Hazards Radio, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), as well as local radio and television stations serving the area.

Some communities may also hear the sounds of tsunami warning sirens and observe local first responders practicing their tsunami response activities. In coastal counties south of Mendocino, the NWS and Cal OES will test the Tsunami Warning System at approximately 10:15 a.m. by transmitting an EAS “Required Monthly Test” message via NOAA All Hazards Radio, and some television and radio stations.. .
[link to www.caloes.ca.gov]

Tsunami Prep Wk, "know your zone" & learn how to be safe
[link to www.tsunamizone.org]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/29/2016 01:33 PM

Sure Thing,

Officials to test tsunami warning system in S. CA on March 23, 2016

During Tsunami Preparedness Week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) plan to conduct a test of the tsunami warning communications system on Wednesday, March 23rd at approximately 10:15 a.m. PDT in coastal areas of Central and Southern California.

The test will be broadcasted on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and on local television and radio stations.
[link to local.nixle.com (secure)]

CA Tsunami Zone Map
[link to maps.conservation.ca.gov]

NWS Monterey, CA: Tsunami Basics - What to do?
NWS San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey, CA

Looks like testing went outside of the zone,

Huh. Not sure I was the targeted audience there, @DIRECTV for that EAS test. TX, not CA. Tsunami tests are not as needed here.

Just got an EAS warning for Los Angles, CA for a test tsunami warning in Ann Arbor,MI #lol #whatjusthappened @DIRECTV

Just watched an EAS Test on my TV. I have DIRECT TV, The test was a Las Angeles Ca. Tsunami TEST. ... I live in Roswell, NM
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Sunday May 27 is the anniversary of the 1964 Alaska

Gov. Jerry Brown notes in a proclamation that Sunday is the 52nd anniversary of the 1964 Alaska earthquake and tsunami that caused millions of dollars in damage to the California coast and killed 12 people at Crescent City.
[link to www.thecalifornian.com]

Published on Mar 23, 2016

Tsunami Forecast Model Animation: Alaska 1964

Published on Mar 23, 2016

At 5:36 pm on Friday, March 27, 1964 (28 March, 03:36Z UTC) the largest earthquake ever measured in North America, and the second-largest recorded anywhere, struck 40 miles west of Valdez, Alaska in Prince William Sound with a moment magnitude we now know to be 9.2. Almost an hour and a half later the Honolulu Magnetic and Seismic Observatory (later renamed the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, or PTWC) was able to issue its first “tidal wave advisory” that noted that a tsunami was possible and that it could arrive in the Hawaiian Islands five hours later. Upon learning of a tsunami observation in Kodiak Island, Alaska, an hour and a half later the Honolulu Observatory issued a formal “tidal wave/seismic sea-wave warning” cautioning that damage was possible in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific Ocean but that it was not possible to predict the intensity of the tsunami. The earthquake did in fact generate a tsunami that killed 124 people (106 in Alaska, 13 in California, and 5 in Oregon) and caused about $2.3 billion (2016 dollars) in property loss all along the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to southern California and in Hawaii. The greatest wave heights were in Alaska at over 67 m or 220 ft. and waves almost 10 m or 32 ft high struck British Columbia, Canada. In the “lower 48” waves as high as 4.5 m or 15 ft. struck Washington, as high as 3.7 m or 12 ft. struck Oregon, and as high as 4.8 m or over 15 ft. struck California. Waves of similar size struck Hawaii at nearly 5 m or over 16 ft. high. Waves over 1 m or 3 ft. high also struck Mexico, Chile, and even New Zealand.. .
[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

MAP: Largest Magnitude Earthquakes in California Since 1900
Click on icon to get magnitude/date
[link to www.nbclosangeles.com]

The northern Sierra has 130% of normal precipitation thru March 23rd and more than annual average! #cawx #cadrought
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Was March the Rainfall Miracle We’d Hoped For?
March 28, 2016

Yes, the Bay Area got a lot of rain this winter. But was it enough to end the drought?

Sadly, no. But there’s good news—this winter was the best we’ve had in five years in terms of precipitation. Rainfall in most Bay Area cities is about 100 percent of normal. San Francisco has received 21 inches of rain this winter, up from 16 inches last year.


And the state’s two biggest reservoirs, Oroville and Shasta, are now more than 80 percent full. Last March, they hovered between 50 and 59 percent.. .

“We’re not in an emergency in northern California anymore in terms of drought,” Rogers says. “The soaking storms that we got in March really delivered their biggest punch in the most important watersheds in the state.”

In addition to Oroville and Shasta, Pardee reservoir, the biggest reservoir that serves the East Bay, is 99 percent full.
But Rogers says southern California wasn’t as lucky. Some cities, like Los Angeles, are only at 50 percent of normal rainfall for this time of year. . .

The mandatory water cutbacks Governor Jerry Brown enacted last April have been extended through October, but some of those restrictions may be lifted in parts of northern California. . .
[link to ww2.kqed.org]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/29/2016 01:51 PM

What a difference getting some rain will do. Tho the #CADrought is far from over this is certainly a good sign.

2014 v 2016 pic
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/29/2016 01:48 PM

Good to see Shasta filling up.

Drought Monitor Time Lapse
Jan 5- March 15 2016
[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Snow Water Equivalents (inches)

Provided by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys
Data For: 29-Mar-2016
[link to cdec.water.ca.gov]

California Data Exchange Center - Reservoirs
Change Date: Calendar Icon

Conditions for Major Reservoirs: 28-Mar-2016
Data as of Midnight: 28-Mar-2016
[link to cdec.water.ca.gov]

Is that it for our rain this season?

Nothing major within the next 7 days (reminder this long range map can change)
[link to weather.rap.ucar.edu]

but rainfall/precipitation amounts/forecast expected to be above normal for most of CA in April according to this website - Long Range Weather Harris Mann Climatology
[link to www.longrangeweather.com]
[link to www.longrangeweather.com]

Last Edited by FireFleye on 03/29/2016 09:57 PM