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In California water news today …
NOAA says La Niña ocean cooling has finally arrived, but it’s weak and may cause fewer problems
“A long-awaited La Niña has finally appeared, but the periodic cooling of Pacific Ocean waters is weak and unlikely to cause as many weather problems as usual, meteorologists said Thursday. La Niña, the flip side of the better-known El Niño, is an irregular rising of unusually cold water in a key part of the central equatorial Pacific that changes weather patterns worldwide. The last El Niño was declared finished last June, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters have been expecting La Niña for months. Its delayed arrival may have been influenced — or masked — by the world’s oceans being much warmer the last few years, said Michelle L’Heureux, head of NOAA’s El Niño team. “It’s totally not clear why this La Niña is so late to form, and I have no doubt it’s going to be a topic of a lot of research,” L’Heureux said. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
La Niña has arrived. Here’s what that means.
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared the return of La Niña on Thursday, marking the start of an expected period of global cooling that nonetheless carried ominous signs about the trajectory of world temperatures. The climate pattern is the inverse of the better-known El Niño and is known for cooling a vast swath of the Pacific Ocean. That tends to lower average global temperatures, while also encouraging weather extremes that include intense Atlantic hurricanes, East African drought and floods in Indonesia. But La Niña’s cooling effect will not be enough to prevent this year from becoming another of the warmest in human history, climate scientists predicted. This La Niña could instead demonstrate just how high the baseline of average global temperatures has shifted. “We’ve reached the stage where every year is an anomalously hot year,” said Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist and director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “They’re all different, statistically, than the climate we grew up with.” … ” Read more from the Washington Post.
UCLA: Floods, droughts, then fires: Hydroclimate whiplash is speeding up globally
“Los Angeles is burning, and accelerating hydroclimate whiplash is the key climate connection. After years of severe drought, dozens of atmospheric rivers deluged California with record-breaking precipitation in the winter of 2022-23, burying mountain towns in snow, flooding valleys with rain and snow melt, and setting off hundreds of landslides. Following a second extremely wet winter in southern parts of the state, resulting in abundant grass and brush, 2024 brought a record-hot summer and now a record-dry start to the 2025 rainy season, along with tinder-dry vegetation that has since burned in a series of damaging wildfires. This is just the most recent example of the kind of “hydroclimate whiplash” – rapid swings between intensely wet and dangerously dry weather – that is increasing worldwide, according to a paper published today in Nature Reviews. … ” Read more from UCLA.
San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority receives additional $125 million for B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project
“The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority expresses its sincere appreciation for an award of an additional $125 million in funding for the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “We want to extend our gratitude to the Bureau of Reclamation for their continued support and partnership. This funding is crucial for developing the water supply infrastructure needed to ensure reliable water delivery to our communities, farms, and wildlife refuges. The B.F. Sisk Dam Raise project will increase the reservoir’s storage capacity by 130,000 acre-feet, enhancing our ability to capture and store water during wet years for use during dry periods,” said Federico Barajas, Executive Director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority. This investment will benefit over two million people, more than one million acres of farmland, and 135,000 acres of Pacific Flyway wetlands. It represents a significant step towards improving water supply reliability and operational flexibility for the farms, communities, and wildlife reliant on water provided by the member agencies of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, particularly in the face of California’s variable climate and regulatory challenges.
Sites Project Authority launches RFQ for reservoir development and construction
“The Sites Project Authority (Authority) launched a competitive procurement process with the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Reservoir Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to construct the up to $3 billion reservoir and roads package that is part of the Sites Reservoir Project (Project). The CMAR delivery method was selected to optimize project delivery, manage risks, encourage local community collaboration, and provide the best value for Project participants. “This next step in our contracting process marks a critical milestone for Sites Reservoir as it progresses from planning to construction,” said Fritz Durst, Chair of the Sites Project Authority Board of Directors. “As one of the largest water infrastructure projects currently under development in California, Sites is a significant opportunity to enhance water reliability for the benefit of our communities, farms, and environment.” … ” Read more from the Sites Reservoir Project.
California’s freshwater challenges: Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond
“Most of life on Earth relies on freshwater. In California, our freshwater systems are facing serious challenges. Dams, pollution, and land development have severely degraded rivers and freshwater ecosystems. These factors have led to a decline in our freshwater species and biodiversity, which are crucial for maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems. The health of our freshwater rivers directly impacts our communities and California’s economy, making it essential to protect and restore these precious freshwater resources. Fortunately, over the last 20 years, California has demonstrated vision and commitment in protecting our state’s land and waters. Numerous plans have identified potential actions to safeguard our rich biodiversity. … ” Read more from the South Yuba River Citizens League.
Bridging divides through restoration: “We have a lot of work to do. Let’s get it done.”
“As we step into 2025, navigating an era of polarization and uncertainty, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “us versus them” thinking. This divisive mindset often clouds the immense power of collective action—communities and individuals working tirelessly together to bring about meaningful change that everyone can agree on. At River Partners, we see a different story unfolding. It’s a story of unity, resilience, and relentless commitment to restoring river landscapes and biodiversity across California and improving the lives of people who live here. The challenges we face are enormous: the effects of climate change on vulnerable communities of wildlife and people, intensifying flooding, increased water scarcity and strained natural resources, regulatory conflict, and disappearing natural landscapes to name a few. If we can agree on our challenges, then we can agree we have a lot of work to do. … ” Read more from River Partners.
Exciting progress to reactivate the floodplains in the Sacramento Valley
“The Floodplain Forward Coalition is making remarkable progress in reactivating the Sacramento River Basin’s floodplains to deliver multiple benefits—from enhancing flood protection to supporting thriving ecosystems. We’re excited to share three key resources that showcase progress on this initiative: Sacramento River Basin Floodplains MOU Summary, Quote Sheet PDF, and a New Landing Page.” Access the resources at the Northern California Water Association.
Newly elected Congressman Adam Gray highlights agriculture, water challenges
“Congressman Adam Gray, the newly elected U.S. Representative for California’s 13th Congressional District, is bringing his lifelong connection to agriculture and pragmatic approach to Washington, D.C. In an interview on the AgNet News Hour, Gray discussed his priorities and vision for addressing critical issues in the San Joaquin Valley, particularly focusing on water resources and agricultural sustainability. Growing up in Merced, Gray’s roots are deeply tied to the agricultural community. “My family ran a company called Merced Dairy Supply, an equipment company and small family feed store,” Gray explained. “Agriculture played an important role in my personal life and continues to play an important role in my professional life.” Representing a region that encompasses some of the most productive farmland in the world, Gray emphasized the significance of his district, which he described as “the largest dairy district actually, in the United States Congress.” … ” Read more from Ag Net West.
SoCal fires …
CONDITIONS
California weather has been a tale of two extremes as fires rage in L.A. Is La Niña to blame?
“Since the beginning of October, Northern California has faced an abundance of rain, with some places in the North Bay logging twice their typical rainfall over the past three months. But it’s been almost completely dry in Southern California, where parched landscapes are fueling destructive wildfires fanned by strong Santa Ana winds. These stark extremes are somewhat in line with what’s expected during La Niña: wetter than average weather in far Northern California and drier than average conditions in the south. After months of delay, the climate pattern is officially in place, the Climate Prediction Center announced Thursday. While La Niña portends drier than normal conditions for California in the near future, exactly how rainfall will play out across the state for the rest of the wet season is nuanced. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
How drought and Santa Ana winds set the stage for deadly California wildfires
“Scorching summer heat. A bone-dry fall. Exceptionally powerful Santa Ana winds. Although the precise source that sparked the deadly Los Angeles wildfires is still unclear, the weather conditions that primed the blazes were in the making for months. The unprecedented January wildfire disaster exemplifies California’s extreme climate swings that are intensifying as global warming accelerates. Southern California has recorded scant rain over the past few months. Los Angeles International Airport has tallied just three-hundredths of an inch of rain since Oct. 1, 2024, its driest start to the water year on record. On average, the airport logs over 4 inches of rainfall from October through early January. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
SEE ALSO:
- California infernos in January? Why wildfire season keeps getting longer and more devastating, from Stateline
- Why a wetter atmosphere is making California’s fires worse, from the Washington Post
- Intensifying climate whiplash set the stage for devastating California fires, from the LA Times
- Southern California is extremely dry, and that’s fueling fires − maps show just how dry, from The Conversation
POLICY
Trump, wind, water and fire
“Everything’s connected, we know. But Donald Trump’s series of social media posts urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to “open up the water main” to send more water from Northern to Southern California to quench the fires burning through Los Angeles and “sign the water restoration declaration” left even the most astute California water officials scratching their heads and had Newsom’s press office dismissing it as “pure fiction.” Once Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, pointed to a five-year-old legal showdown between Newsom and Trump over how to manage the state and federal systems of pumps, reservoirs and canals that move water around the state, things became more clear. The long-standing disagreement between Trump and Newsom over how much water to export south and how much water to keep in Northern California rivers to keep endangered fish alive isn’t directly tied to the Los Angeles fires. … ” Read more from Politico.
Peter Gleick: Spreading like wildfire: How Trump’s misinformation about water and fire in Los Angeles inflames the situation
“As devastating wildfires sweep over parts of southern California, it is vital that media, the public, and our policymakers understand what’s happening and how to best respond. The first and most important need is to ensure that local communities have accurate, real-time information about the risks they face, and that emergency responders have the resources they need. In the coming months and years, however, it will be critical to improve our understanding of these risks and how they are changing with accelerating climate change and with changing population and development patterns, and to improve our ability to manage worsening disasters. What’s not helpful are inaccurate statements from politicians. But that’s what Donald Trump offered up when he posted a statement on TruthSocial falsely laying the blame for the fires and for firefighting problems on democratic governor Gavin Newsom and state water policies. … ” Read more from the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
Tom Philp: Donald Trump trolls Gavin Newsom about Los Angeles fires. Why do his lies work?
“As California was literally on fire, our next president was erroneously blaming us for our disaster. We had wrongly denied Southern California water. “Beautiful, clean, fresh” water. Without water, the Southland was left to burn. “Governor Gavin Newscum,” as Donald Trump calls him, “is the blame for this.” First, the facts: Southern California is not short of water. There is water for fire hydrants. There is water for firefighting planes. This disaster is being fueled by a ferocious Santa Ana Wind, not water mismanagement. Whether Trump knows this or not is less important than that most Californians know little or nothing about water usage and storage in our state. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
SEE ALSO:
- Misinformation spreads like wildfire on the internet while LA neighborhoods burn, from Inside Climate News
- Trump’s critiques of the Los Angeles fires, explained, from Politico
- We don’t yet know what caused the L.A. fires. But we do know it wasn’t DEI initiatives, from the San Francisco Chronicle
- It isn’t lack of water or DEI making LA’s wildfires worse. Experts say it’s climate change, from the Sacramento Bee
- Fact check: As wildfires rage, Trump lashes out with false claims about FEMA and California water policy, from CNN
- The Truth Behind Trump’s ‘Water Restoration Declaration,‘ from Newsweek
- Column: Trump shoots his mouth off as L.A. burns. His claims about fire hydrants don’t hold water, from George Skelton at the LA Times
- As wildfires rage in Los Angeles, Trump doesn’t offer much sympathy. He’s casting blame, from Associated Press
- Trump calls on Newsom to ‘open up the water main,‘ from The Hill
- Addressing Misinformation on Los Angeles Wildfires and California Water Policy, from Restore the Delta
- Trump Blames Los Angeles Wildfires on Newsom and Delta Smelt, from Dan Bacher at the Daily Kos
DRY HYDRANTS
‘Completely dry’: how Los Angeles firefighters ran out of water
“Capt. Kevin Easton and his firefighting team had already spent hours battling an out-of-control fire sweeping through Los Angeles’s Pacific Palisades area, leaving gutted homes in its wake. Then, around midnight, their water lines started to sputter. Before long, the hydrants had run dry. “Completely dry — couldn’t get any water out of it,” said Captain Easton, who was part of a small, roaming patrol of firefighters who were trying to protect the community’s Palisades Highlands neighborhood. Even on Wednesday afternoon — hours after the hydrants had gone dry — there was still no water. Houses in the Highlands burned, becoming part of the more than 5,000 structures destroyed by the Palisades fire so far. Officials now say the storage tanks that hold water for high-elevation areas like the Highlands, and the pumping systems that feed them, could not keep pace with the demand as the fire raced from one neighborhood to another. That was in part because those who designed the system did not account for the stunning speeds at which multiple fires would race through the Los Angeles area this week. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Why hydrants ran dry as firefighters battled California’s deadly fires
“As crews have fought the fast-spreading fires across the Los Angeles area, they have repeatedly been hampered by low water pressure and fire hydrants that have gone dry. These problems have exposed what experts say are vulnerabilities in city water-supply systems not built for wildfires on this scale. The water system that supplies neighborhoods simply doesn’t have the capacity to deliver such large volumes of water over several hours, said Martin Adams, former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “The system has never been designed to fight a wildfire that then envelopes a community,” Adams said in an interview with The Times. The limitations of local water systems complicated firefighting efforts in Pacific Palisades, where scores of fire hydrants were left with little or no water, and in Altadena and Pasadena, which are served by different utilities and where firefighters say they have grappled with low water pressure. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
SEE ALSO:
- After ‘tremendous demand’, water tanks used for fighting LA wildfires ran dry early, from The Guardian
- Why fire hydrants ran dry as wildfires tore through Los Angeles, from the Washington Post
WATER QUALITY
Parts of L.A. could go days without clean water. Here’s how contaminants wreak havoc after fires
“As authorities across the Los Angeles area warn against using some municipal water supplies to drink and bathe because of wildfire-borne contaminants, experts cautioned that it could be days, weeks, even months before some water supplies become safe to use again. During wildfires, water systems can become contaminated in a number of different ways. When a fire hydrant is not in use but water is flowing beneath it, negative pressure can pull debris and contaminants into a water main. When a house or property loses water pressure because of damage or destruction, contaminants can freely backflow into the water system. And when water pipes and tanks made of thick plastic are burned or heat up, contamination can leach into supplies. More than 9,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged in the Palisades and Eaton fires, according to preliminary estimates that are likely to increase. How long water will remain unusable depends on the scale of contamination. Other major disasters have seen areas go weeks, and in extreme cases months, before water was usable again. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Water alerts issued in Southern California areas impacted by fires
“Several water districts in areas affected by the fires in Southern California have issued water alerts, warning residents of low water quality. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power issued a boil water notice for residents who live in the 90272 zip code and adjacent communities. Chief Executive Officer and Engineer Janisse Quiñones explained the demand for LADWP services was “tremendous.” The agency reported pushing their water systems to extreme levels for up to 15 hours straight. Quiñones said as the demand went up the water pressure went down. When water pressure is significantly lowered the water quality lowers. “We are fighting a wildfire with an urban water system and that is really challenging,” she said. … ” Read more from CBS News.
OTHER SoCAL FIRE NEWS …
Lack of water is hampering LA fire battle. Why not use ocean water to fight fires?
“As multiple deadly wildfires burn across Los Angeles and hundreds of thousands of residents flee their homes, the lack of water is impeding firefighters’ efforts to fight the flames. More than 27,000 acres of Los Angeles County have been scorched since the flames started Tuesday morning. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Wednesday the fires had caused “complete and utter devastation.” “We’ve depleted all our resources,” he said as fire hydrants across the region ran dry. “Those hydrants are typical for two or three fires, maybe one fire. And then you have something at this scale.” … In response to a lack of water, firefighters were seen Wednesday scooping water from the Pacific Ocean in a firefighting plane, according to KTLA 5 News. Is it really that simple to use ocean water to fight the blaze? Here’s why using the seemingly obvious solution of neighboring ocean water isn’t as clear an option. … ” Read more from USA Today.
SEE ALSO: Here is why California can’t use ocean water to help fight the wildfires, from The Independent via Yahoo News
Pink fire retardant, a dramatic wildfire weapon, poses its own dangers
“From above the raging flames, these planes can unleash immense tankfuls of bright pink fire retardant in just 20 seconds. They have long been considered vital in the battle against wildfires. But emerging research has shown that the millions of gallons of retardant sprayed on the landscape to tame wildfires each year come with a toxic burden, because they contain heavy metals and other chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment. The toxicity presents a stark dilemma. These tankers and their cargo are a powerful tool for taming deadly blazes. Yet as wildfires intensify and become more frequent in an era of climate change, firefighters are using them more often, and in the process releasing more harmful chemicals into the environment. … ” Read more from the New York Times.
Democratic lawmakers resist calls to switch gears on Trump special session as LA fires rage
“California Democrats on Thursday resisted calls from Republicans in the Legislature to end a special session preparing for the upcoming administration of Donald Trump as wildfires raged in Los Angeles. Instead, they continued their plan to provide aid to the state Department of Justice in preparation for lawsuits against the federal government. Gov. Gavin Newsom in December called on lawmakers to begin the special session. Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-Nicolaus, said the special session needed to be shut down immediately. “We have so much bigger issues right now that we really need to tackle,” he said. Los Angeles fire officials said Thursday that thousands of homes appear to have been damaged or destroyed. Though Trump has made threats about potentially holding back disaster funds from the state, Gallagher said he was not worried the president-elect would do so once he is sworn in office. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
In regional water news and commentary today …
BAY AREA
Is it safe to swim in the Bay? Braving the cold (and sometimes dirty) water
“Swimming in the San Francisco Bay is more than a hobby or a form of exercise for the avid community of swimmers who show up regularly to take a dip. It’s practically a spiritual experience. “I work a pretty stressful job as a cardiac ICU nurse. Being in the water is the time that my mind is quiet and I’m able to just be in the present moment,” said Kerianne Brownlie, who regularly swims at Albany Beach, among other spots around the region. “It’s just you and the water. You feel every little piece of seaweed touching you. You feel the full chilliness of whatever the temperature is that day. And you get really in tune with your body in a way that I haven’t found in other sports on land.” Brownlie swims without a wetsuit — it’s less to fuss with — and doesn’t worry too much about water quality. But that’s not the case for Bay Curious listener Robbe Verhofste. He’s been curious about swimming in the bay since he moved here five years ago, but he’s been hesitant. … ” Read more from KQED.
City, Zone 7 staff provide update on joint groundwater well project
“The city’s joint project with the Zone 7 Water Agency to test viable locations in West Pleasanton for two potentially new groundwater wells outside of a PFAS plume is going as planned, with the test drilling coming to an end soon at Del Prado Park in Pleasanton this month, according to officials with both agencies. However, members of the Pleasanton Public Works Department told the Weekly they still have two parks to study as part of the “Regional Groundwater Facilities Project” before determining whether the city can drill the new wells in order to address the city’s PFAS issues — which might leave residents wondering: what happens if none these sites are viable? Well, according to public works director Siew-Chin Yeong, all they can do is wait, analyze the data from these next few months of testing and go from there because anything else is simply speculation. … ” Read more from Pleasanton Weekly.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Appeals court sets tentative time frame to hear arguments in Kern River case
“Arguments over the preliminary injunction that had mandated water be kept in the Kern River for fish are tentatively scheduled for sometime in mid-March at the 5th District Court of Appeal, according to a notice issued by the court Wednesday. Considering the significant number of attorneys involved, even that somewhat squishy time frame could move several times. But the notice is an indication that this portion of the case is moving forward. Depending on how the 5th District rules on a motion filed last month, the state Attorney General’s office may also argue on behalf of the river. The Attorney General’s office filed an amicus brief earlier urging the 5th District to uphold the injunction and keep water in the river. … ” Read more from SJV Water.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Historical funding commitment provides boost for EMWD’s groundwater desalination program
“Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) this week received the largest federal funding commitment in its history through an additional $50 million authorization in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA). The WRDA increases the total authorization for EMWD’s Desalination Program to $100 million. The funding enables the United States Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program (Army Corps), with a cost share from EMWD, to design and construct groundwater wells, pipelines, and treatment facilities. “EMWD is incredibly appreciative of the Army Corps, and our federal elected officials, for their continued support of our groundwater desalination program,” EMWD Board President Phil Paule said. “By working together with our federal partners, we have helped return our customers’ tax dollars to their community to create a more sustainable water supply future for our region.” The additional infrastructure authorized through program funding will increase the capacity of EMWD’s groundwater desalination program by 5.4 million gallons per day, which is enough drinking water for approximately 15,000 households each year. … ” Read more from Eastern Municipal Water District.
SAN DIEGO
What lies beneath SeaWorld’s fireworks launch pad
“Mortar and shell casings and plastic caps littered Fiesta Island’s dog beach just west of a barge used by SeaWorld San Diego to launch its fireworks displays. Below the waterline, ignition wires tangled around sprouting bright green seagrass. This is just some of the evidence collected by Natalie Clagett from Coast Law Group, a local environmental law firm, that put SeaWorld on notice it would sue the company for pollution caused by its pyrotechnics. The litter, they allege, violates the Clean Water Act and the company’s permit to launch fireworks 150 nights each year. The firm began gathering fireworks debris around the time the San Diego Bird Alliance (formerly known as the Audubon Society San Diego) blamed SeaWorld’s Fourth of July fireworks show for scaring threatened coastal birds from their Mission Bay nesting grounds resulting in deaths. … ” Read more from the Voice of San Diego.
Supervisors discuss options after rejection of superfund designation
“Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre Thursday told the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to continue its effort to get a Superfund site designation the Tijuana River Valley despite a rejection by the Environmental Protection Agency. “We have one of the highest levels of absenteeism in South Bay Union School District,” Aguirre said during Wednesday’s public comment period. “We have a number of elementary and high schools that are less than half a mile within some of these areas.” Aguirre said research has found at least 172 toxic chemicals present in the South County area that can be carcinogenic, and re-suspended in the air, soil and water. … ” Read more from KPBS.
Along the Colorado River …
Commentary: Arizona failed to meet a key water use goal by 2025. What’s next?
Opinion columnist Joanna Allhands writes, “We missed the goalpost. Most of Arizona’s urban areas were supposed to reach “safe yield,” the point where we are replenishing roughly as much groundwater as we pump, by 2025. But we’re not anywhere close. The state’s five initial groundwater Active Management Areas (AMAs), including Phoenix, still pump more water than they replace. And, if anything, are moving further away from their management goals, which were set four decades ago. So, what do we do now? That remains the great unanswered question. … ” Read more from Arizona Central.
Tucson approves plan for $86 million treatment facility turning wastewater into drinking water
“Tucson officials are moving forward on a plan to create southern Arizona’s first water treatment facility that turns wastewater into drinking water. Tucson City Councilmembers voted to approve a proposal to use some $86 million worth of Bureau of Reclamation funding to build the new treatment facility and save Colorado River water as a result. Tucson Water Director Jon Kmiec says things began about 16 months ago, when the water utility asked the agency to fund an advanced water purification plant in Tucson’s northwest side. “Already treated water from Pima County Wastewater Reclamation — the recycled water that gets released to the environment, to the Santa Cruz River — [we] take that water and treat it even further,” he said. … ” Read more from KJZZ.
In national water news today …
Earth records hottest year ever in 2024 and the jump was so big it breached a key threshold
“Earth recorded its hottest year ever in 2024, with such a big jump that the planet temporarily passed a major climate threshold, several weather monitoring agencies announced Friday. Last year’s global average temperature easily passed 2023’s record heat and kept pushing even higher. It surpassed the long-term warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit ) since the late 1800s that was called for by the 2015 Paris climate pact, according to the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Service, the United Kingdom’s Meteorology Office and Japan’s weather agency. The European team calculated 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.89 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming. Japan found 1.57 degrees Celsius (2.83 degrees Fahrenheit) and the British 1.53 degrees Celsius (2.75 degrees Fahrenheit) in releases of data coordinated to early Friday morning European time. … ” Read more from the Associated Press.
It’s getting hot in here: Ocean temperatures reach record highs
“2024 was a year of climate record-breaking — with some of the hottest months on record and the Earth’s warmest day of all time. As if to add to the disheartening list of accomplishments, scientists are now reporting that humans also spent the year recording the hottest ocean surface temperatures ever, a discovery which is already having serious impacts on the largest heat reservoir in the world. Published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences Friday, the study reveals that the global mean surface temperatures in 2024 reached nearly 66.50 degrees Fahrenheit, which could have devastating effects on the ocean ecosystem. Covering nearly 90% of the Earth’s surface, the sea absorbs the majority of the Earth’s excess heat and is a key player in managing climate change, meaning the ocean takes the short end of the stick when things start to get really hot. … ” Read more from the Courthouse News Service.
Also on Maven’s Notebook today …
NOTICE of assignment to SWB’s Administrative Hearings Office: Yuba County Water Agency, from the State Water Board
STATE WATER BOARD: Agenda now posted for February 20 public hearing for the consideration of a probationary designation for the Kern County Subbasin
