The latest U.S. winter outlook spells trouble for dry California, as low-lying areas face a near-term threat from winter storms and the threat of severe weather.
The U.S. Climate Extremes map was updated earlier today with new data for the latest snowpack conditions in the Central and Southern Rockies. The maps show that the region will need to see snowpack for at least another month to ensure the winter does not turn into a prolonged drought.
The maps were updated based on the latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) snow survey results, showing that the Central and Southern Rockies, including the Sierra and Great Basin, will need a snowpack of at least 14.6 inches by the middle of January to meet a “moderate” drought outlook for the region.
In the northern and southern Sierra there may not even be a month before the snowpack begins to turn into a dry drought or even “extreme” drought, leaving residents at risk for wildfires.
The new map shows that a low-lying area west of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is forecast to see an increase of up to 10 inches of rain per day over the next few days, while the northern part of Lassen National Park, one of the largest national parks in the United States, is forecast to see an increase of up to 5 inches per day of rain over the next few days.
In addition, the map shows that the northern part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is projected to receive about 28 inches of rain, while the southern and central regions of the delta, where the snowpack is relatively shallow, are forecast to receive up to 30 inches of rain in a few days.
“That’s because over the next few days a lot of rain will fall,” said Tom Wagner, a climate scientist with NOAA’s National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, S.D.