Winter Solstice 2013

[craig333]

Maybe we can use that oil pipeline they want to build. Its so bad we're already seeing stories of people hoarding water. I wonder if it can get to point at work where they'll say sorry, not enough water to make tea and energy drinks.

 

[MarkBC]

Far West Got Drier Last Year, Data Shows
New York Times, Jan 15, 2014

 

[Smokecreek1]

16%- that's what the Reno TV weather guy just said is the % we have got of the pecip we need! Another station showed the the last years vrs the existing snow pack in the Sierras sat. picture for this time of the year-not good at all. More rain dances for sure!

Smoke

 

[MarkBC]

The far-West drought.



More detail at the link: U.S. Drought Monitor

 

[craig333]

Well its making housetraining the puppies easier. Earliest possible relief is not till Feb and that sounds pretty iffy.

 

[ski3pin]

This is definitely what the middle of winter should NOT be like -


Red Flag Warning

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
359 AM PST THU JAN 23 2014

...GUSTY NORTH TO EAST WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY TODAY INTO EARLY
FRIDAY...

.GUSTY NORTH TO EAST WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
TODAY AS A WEAK AND DRY LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND INTO THE GREAT BASIN. THIS COMBINED WITH LOW
HUMIDITY WILL BRING A PERIOD OF HIGH FIRE DANGER ESPECIALLY TO
THE WEST SLOPE OF THE SIERRA AND FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF
SOUTHWESTERN SHASTA COUNTY SOUTHWARD TO THE MOUNTAINS OF LAKE
COUNTY.

CAZ221-269-240000-
/O.CON.KSTO.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-140124T1800Z/
STANISLAUS NF WEST OF THE SIERRA CREST-
NORTHERN SIERRA INCLUDING THE TAHOE AND ELDORADO NF/S WEST OF THE
SIERRA CREST-
359 AM PST THU JAN 23 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 221 AND
269...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 221 STANISLAUS NF WEST OF
  THE SIERRA CREST AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 269 NORTHERN SIERRA
  INCLUDING THE TAHOE AND ELDORADO NF/S WEST OF THE SIERRA CREST.

* WINDS...EAST 10 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* TIMING...THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 9 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY ALONG WITH DRY FUELS
  WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS... WHERE ANY NEW
  IGNITIONS COULD SEE RAPID FIRE GROWTH.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...VISIT
  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SACRAMENTO/HAZARDS

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

 

[billharr]

Picture worth a 1,000 words. Not going to be a good year for water.

 

[craig333]

I heard CDF is already hiring seasonals. Hope they find enough as most wait until school is out.

 

[ski3pin]

I heard CDF is already hiring seasonals. Hope they find enough as most wait until school is out.

Or back from their winter vacations down to the beaches of Mexico.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Picture worth a 1,000 words. Not going to be a good year for water.

Thanks Bill for posting this.I saw it on the news last night,WOW.
Frank

 

[highz]

I heard CDF is already hiring seasonals. Hope they find enough as most wait until school is out.

This is the normal time of year to be hiring and training seasonals here in the southwest. I wonder if two regions hiring at the same time will cause any personnel shortages?

 

[Smokecreek1]

The inversion has hit Susanville-it is getting smokey, i'm starting to hack ,the hills and valley are covered with haze and- and someone is burning something covered with creosote- it's time to flee this town for the coast or somewhere other than place!

Smoke

 

[Smokecreek1]

It' s not a inversion blocking the hills-It's a dust storm like you see in the movies on top of a local inversion heading into town. It's being spread by high winds coming from the Black Rock Desert/Gerlach area thru the Smoke Creek Desert-Honey Lake- to here! Seen them out there before, but I don't think I've ever seen a dust storm right here in town, maybe blowing smoke, not dust. and the temp is dropping fast with a nice very cold wind driving everything. The smell of dust and creosote-can't beat it! We are going to have one interesting year if it doesn't snow soon! Just added two photo's of the sand/dust storm moving into SV on the photo gallery!

Smoke

 

[craig333]

Winter in Mexico? Man why didn't I ever think of that. Oh yeah, I had to find other work in the winter. Would have been nice if earned enough to do that. My old Belvedere would have fit in just fine down in baja

 

[ski3pin]

I've kept in contact with Sara with USGS doing the study ay Eureka Dunes I mentioned in this trip report -

Death Valley Part One

"Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like we are going to get much precipitation, unless it comes late. I was recently reading that, thus far, this has been the driest hydrologic year on record for most of the Mojave Desert."

It is really sad.........................................

 

[craig333]

Check out this visual of CA comparing 2013 to 2014.

http://yubanet.com/regional/NASA-Earth-Observatory-All-Dry-on-the-Western-Front.php

 

[Smokecreek1]

Soooo-you want to know where that dust/sand storm we have been having here in Susanville comes from? Just look at those charts Craig just put up!

Smoke

 

[takesiteasy]

Wow, the contrast between those pictures is something! I sure hope the weather changes soon and you get some water. It is becoming quite concerning.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Fires in Oregon now. This looks like a rough year!

 

[Smokecreek1]

Sure does! No campfires and it is January- a fun, dry year ahead!

Smoke