El Nino is likely, and it could be very powerful next winter (gardens, agricultural)

[nslander]

[quote=sourdough;41569647]this El Nino won't help the drought [quote]

I think I understand what you're gerting at, but a strong el nino portends higher than average rainfall. That necessarily mitigates the effects of any drought.

[GoldenZephyr]

No matter how much it rains, those who would use it for political advantage will always say "but it ain't gonna' do nothin' for the drought".

Heavy El Nino will help alleviate the drought, will it restore all the water, no, but it will make an impact.

Drought mongers like to claim that rain has no impact on the drought, only snow, but that ignores that most of the states aquifers are rain fed and that overall rainfall will charge many natural areas with water.

[sourdough]

I have no political play with the drought. I mis-spoke and meant to say "it will not end the drought". Read the article. It is what it is. Drought monger, HaHa funny.
As far as an El Nino recharging the San Jaquin aquifers, read this USGS report… http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/p...quinValley.pdf
Big business is doing what it always does. Rape the land, walk away and let tax payers deal with the aftermath.

[LuvSouthOC]

More tangible evidence of El Nino, as if we needed any more:

‘Incredibly Venomous’ Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake Seen in California for 1st Time in 30 Years | KTLA

[wac_432]

Originally Posted by sourdough

this El Nino won't help the drought and could do more harm than good, was published yesterday …. This Devastating Chart Shows Why Even a Powerful El Niño Won

Another day, another scare-mongering article. While clearing out your rain gutters you'd better also prepare for a slew of articles that will come out with every rain event, telling us how nothing will ever help the drought.

Rain won't help. Snow won't help. Nothing will help except radical conservation measures (liberals) or everyone abandoning the failed state of Commifornia (conservatives).

What nonsense. We've had the wettest summer in history, already. Today marks the 3rd straight day of heavy flooding rains (which are recharging surface water sources as we speak) IN OCTOBER. October is fire season, not rain season!! Take a look at the latest USGS drought survey. Things are actually improving in what is supposed to be the driest part of the year, thanks to 3 hurricanes and numerous other abnormal rain events already impacting California.

The forecasters are getting so desperate for some "normal" weather, that they were gleefully predicting offshores and "critical fire danger" a full week out, yesterday. Models changed overnight, however, and now they're glumly admitting that we might get even more rain, instead.

The way things are going, it looks like we're going to have an epic rainy season, since it's started 4 months earlier than normal!

I'm sure we will fall back into drought, eventually. Conservation, reclamation, and new water sources (like desalination plants) are a good investment. We've made that investment with the latest bond measure, and the future of CA is bright!

Edit: And northern CA is not getting left out, contrary to the scare-mongers fondest wishes. Check out the radar right now. Northern CA is getting a double-whammy pounding from an early Pacific storm, with two heavy bands of rain sweeping through, and more to come!

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by wac_432

Another day, another scare-mongering article. What nonsense. We've had the wettest summer in history, already. Today marks the 3rd straight day of heavy flooding rains....

We've seen very little rain in L.A. We've been under average seasonal rainfall for the past 4 years.
Total Seasonal Rainfall 1877-Present

[sourdough]

warning adult content from United States Drought Monitor Oct.13,2015

Current National Drought Summary, California and Great Basin
After last week’s widespread and unseasonably heavy (0.5-1.5 inches) rains in southern and eastern California and western and northern Nevada (locally to 2 inches), more typical dry and warm weather returned to the region. There were no changes made this week. The recent wet weather did nothing to offset the long-term drought, but may have aided in the suppression of wild fires as September and October are normally the biggest months for fires in California.

Tune in next week for more scary updates. That is all.
Excerpt source: United States Drought Monitor > Home
Current National Drought Summary, California and Great Basin

This just in...http://www.wired.com/2015/10/devasta...x-the-drought/

[DriveNotCommute]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

It's not that I don't have some faith in science. It's just that I place a lot more trust in what I see looking out the window than I do looking at my laptop monitor.

The reason why we use data is to see the bigger picture that's happening precisely because there are things happening outside our windows beyond the horizon.

Would you want to fly on an airplane whose pilots tell you, "Data is for wussies. I don't need or use my instruments and gauges because I can see everything going on right outside these windows?" It's sort of like that.

[Ruth4Truth]

[quote=nslander;41577419][quote=sourdough;41569647]this El Nino won't help the drought

I think I understand what you're gerting at, but a strong el nino portends higher than average rainfall. That necessarily mitigates the effects of any drought.

Temporarily. Then--it's back to drought.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Pretty frightening.
L.A. County mudslides trap numerous cars; searchers look for trapped drivers - LA Times

Yup. I have to drive to NM around the end of the month, and was planning to take that route. So I'll have to keep an eye on the weather news, and may have to change my route. But according to the map I saw, the rain/flooding reached all the way through Nevada to Colorado, so it seems there's no escaping the risk.