The wet stuff...

[Silas_Sancona]

Well, after a very dry and much warmer than average start to 18, looks as if the West/ Southwest is in for a bit of a pattern change. How long or brief? We'll see but anything is welcomed, esp throughout S. CA and AZ. 

While there has been a bit of hymn and haw back east regarding the weather pattern sparing the west much of the brutal cold everyone else has been enduring, keep in mind it isn't all rosy glasses in t-shirts here either. 

While the recent stretch in the 70s and 80s (in a few spots) this time of year is obviously great for people and plants, there's an unfavorable side to the coin. Keep in mind that alot of our water going forward comes from winter rainfall/ Snow pack.  Without a good year, especially here in the desert, it can mean trouble when the heat returns.. and not just at the faucet. The snowpack for the Colorado is currently way behind in several places atm and there are spots above 9k feet in New Mexico currently experiencing very big snow droughts.

Alot of the vegetation in the desert depends on winter rain/ snowfall to recharge soil moisture which, interestingly, is " tucked away" below, to be used later on to help vegatation get through until rain returns later in the summer.. Without it, even stuff that can take a beating suffers. Add to this the looming fire season which starts in april  ( here) and lasts until Monsoon season, if that even materializes, in July. Last years' monsoon season was a bust and some of the Forestry officials are already quite concerned as we head into spring. 

So yes, while its been nice, and I'm seeing alot of Sweet Acacia in bloom.. way ahead of normal ( which would be roughly starting sometime in Feb) don't think for a second the weird weather isn't raising eyebrows. 

Looks like we all should see some decent rain this week, with maybe a few more storms behind this one.

Atm, my biggest concern is for the Burn scar areas throughout CA, especially where the Thomas/ Tubbs /Napa Fires went through. If you live in or near these areas.. or know people who do, be sure they are ready, just in case. It doesn't take much water to move barren ground.

While nothing I'm seeing looks like it will be a drought buster for us here, or across S. Cal., some rain, and snow in the mountains, is definately better than none.. 

Edited January 6, 2018 by Silas_Sancona
Wording