SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A cloud of atmospheric subtropical river moisture that stalled over the San Francisco Bay Area on Monday triggered steady downpours, gusts of wind of 40 miles per hour or more, minor rock slides, and localized flooding on roads.

The heavy rainfall in the southern part of the Bay Area has resulted in authorities issuing multiple flood warnings and warnings.

Early Monday evening, Santa Cruz County announced that areas of the CZU Burn Scar, Felton Grove and Paradise Park were under an evacuation warning due to heavy rains that began to fall on Sunday.

Due to heavy rainfall, parts of the CZU Burn Scar, Felton Grove and Paradise Park were placed under an evacuation warning. If you are feeling insecure or need extra time to leave, now is the time to make arrangements. This is just a warning. https://t.co/0HS4Yp39mW #knowyourzone pic.twitter.com/pskxebV0yf

– Santa Cruz County (@sccounty) December 14, 2021

Residents evacuating are asked to follow these steps:

• Follow the instructions of the local authorities, including for travel routes.
• Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.
• Take your emergency go-bag or emergency supply kit with you.
• Lock your home
• Turn off the water, gas, and electricity when prompted.
• Let others know when you left and where you are going.
• Make arrangements for pets and livestock if necessary.

Residents can use the Zonehaven.com website to check that they are in the evacuation warning area.

The National Weather Service previously issued a Flash Flood Watch for the fire area of ​​the CZU Lightning Complex, which includes the southern part of San Mateo County and the northern part of Santa Cruz County. The clock went into effect on Monday at 4 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m.

An earlier flash flood warning was issued at 10:51 a.m. for the fire area of ​​the CZU Lightning Complex in San Mateo County

“Doppler radar and automatic rain gauges indicated that heavy rainfall was falling over the fire area of ​​the CZU Lightning Complex,” said the National Weather Service. “The expected rate of precipitation is 0.5 to 1 inch in 1 hour. Flash floods are underway or are expected to begin shortly. “

The flash flood warning expired at 11:45 a.m. and was downgraded to a flood warning. An additional flood warning issued to more of the area, including San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties, expired at 12:15 p.m.

The San Lorenzo River has risen and the fast-flowing streams carry large logs and debris that have not been washed away by the drain in years.

It was an impressive show, even for the locals.

“This is wild! Just wild. Kind of exciting, ”said Andrea Randall from Boulder Creek.

Randall came out to see the river after her own house was flooded. The drain behind their house flooded the culvert and flowed into the family
Kitchen a few inches deep.

“It was like a flash flood, like everyone worried about just getting through. So much water in such a short time, ”says Matt Randall.

The storm made driving particularly treacherous. Flooding occurred in numerous places on Highway 9 as storm drains flooded trenches.

“It was really hard. It flooded the street and fell on our property, ”said Harry Clark, a resident of Boulder Creek.

Street teams hopped from place to place and cleared the gullies.
There were also a number of mudslides. One blocked a lane on Southbound 17 near Sugarloaf Road.

However, some local residents weren’t too surprised by the persistent downpour of the atmospheric river.

“It’s a good storm, but it’s not uncommon for here in the mountains,” said Troyan Lean of Boulder Creek.

The Bay Area National Weather Service office also released new information on Monday afternoon about the flash flood surveillance that was in effect for fire areas in Monterey County.

The weather service said the watch would be in effect from 7:00 p.m. Monday evening through 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning in the scars of the River, Carmel, Dolan and Coleman fires.

UPDATED FLASH FLOOD CLOCKS FOR COMBUSTION AREAS pic.twitter.com/Rm7Z3sqw5c

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) December 13, 2021

Monterey County authorities had previously issued an evacuation warning for the Dolan Fire scars area and areas in and around River Road in Salinas around 5 p.m. Sunday until Tuesday morning as the atmospheric river storm system brought heavy rain to the county on Sunday.

Forecasters said rainfall is likely to hit thresholds for increased risk of debris flow activity, particularly in areas near the fires in August 2020. Properties and people located below or downstream of the fire areas are at increased risk.

Areas affected by the alert are Pine Canyon Road, Trimble Hill, Mesa Road, Manzanita Way, Wildwood Way, Redding Drive., Belmont Circle, the southwest end of Berry Drive, Limekiln Road, and the 800 Block of River Road.

Highway 1 was closed at Deetjens Big Sur Resort (Postmile 42.1) and Ragged Point on Sunday from 8 p.m.

The lockdown should remain in effect until Tuesday, then the transit agency will review the conditions.

Caltrans said it is working with local authorities to minimize travel to Big Sur so residents and businesses can evacuate in the safest of conditions. Highway 1 is closed at the request of the California Highway Patrol.

Floods forced the closure of Highway 92 between Highway 1 and State Route 35 in both directions.

HIGHWAY 92 CLOSED: Highway 92 is flooded from Spanish Town to 12000 block (at Repetto’s Greenhouse Florist) #CaWx #California #TurnAroundDontDrown pic.twitter.com/WwG0YRouN2

– CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) December 13, 2021

Cal Fire later confirmed that two people trapped in flood water in their vehicle on Highway 92 needed to be rescued, but there were no injuries in the incident.

This video shows the Coastside Fire Engine 40 helping two people trapped in flood in their vehicle on Highway 92 in @sanmateoco. Fortunately there were no injuries. A couple of inches of water can sweep a large vehicle off the road. #TurnAroundDontDrown #CaWx pic.twitter.com/pCSHzxFePM

– CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) December 13, 2021

Elsewhere in San Mateo County, massive scaffolding collapsed on southbound El Camino Real, forcing 3rd Avenue to 5th Avenue to be closed. No casualties were reported and there was no ETA if the lanes were opened.

Firefighters also provided assistance at the flooded San Mateo Credit Union branch in Half Moon Bay. The firefighters controlled the flow of water with sandbags and helped remove the accumulated water.

FLOOD IN HALF MOON BAY: San Mateo Credit Union staff thanked them today after firefighters came to the rescue. The firefighters used sandbags to control the flow of water, then clear away all the water and dry out electrical equipment. #CaWx pic.twitter.com/FZZwi2jTEN

– CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) December 13, 2021

In Hillsborough, crews from the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department and Central County Fire District rescued a resident from a flood.

This morning Engine 24 responded @centralcountyfd to a Hillsborough house where 1 resident was rescued.

With the storm continuing, remember to turn around, don’t drown! Flooded roadways can occur and the water can be deeper than it appears, which can hide hazards. pic.twitter.com/oN4wQXaaGF

– San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department (@SMCFireDept) December 13, 2021

Hillsborough police said there had been significant local flooding in the city. Rescue workers were on duty the entire time to mitigate the flooding and remove dangerous debris.

In South Bay, Mountain View police reported around 1:30 p.m. that a fallen power pole had fallen on Rengstorff Avenue near the intersection with San Luis Avenue. PG&E crews were on site.

So far there has been no forecast of when the road will be released again.

A large power pole has fallen on Rengstorff and San Luis Avenue. Traffic will stop in both directions while crews work to make the area safe. @ PGE4Me has been notified.

Be prepared for traffic obstructions in the area. An expected time of reopening has not been set. pic.twitter.com/WAx8RnhgWR

– Mountain View Police (@MountainViewPD) December 13, 2021

Until shortly before 3 p.m., the Mountain View police were still responsible for traffic control in the area. Around 4,000 PG&E customers were without electricity.

Power lines interrupted in Mountain View (Mountain View Police Department)

Cal Fire reported that a small mudslide had temporarily closed part of Felton Empire Road Monday morning. No casualties were reported and the crews had one lane free.

LITTLE MUDSLIDE: A small mudslide temporarily blocked part of the Felton Empire Road. No injuries, crews have one lane open. #CaWx #California @sccounty pic.twitter.com/x5ZcqGBmjR

– CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) December 13, 2021

The flood triggered a flood warning for parts of the districts of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara on Monday morning.

At 8:53 am, the weather service tweeted: “We are closely monitoring the streams and creeks in the area, as several are rising rapidly in North Bay. Here is a quick snapshot of Napa Creek, Corte Madera Creek, and Santa Rosa Creek. “

A wind warning was also in effect for gusts of up to 80 km / h.

“Doppler radar and automatic rain gauges indicate heavy rain,” wrote the meteorologists. “Flooding poor drainage areas have already resulted in minor flooding on Interstate 880 and Highway 101. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen.”

Berkeley police warned motorists that “Ashby Avenue west west of 7th Street will be closed due to flooding for the next few days. Please avoid the area. “

There were also several reports of rains between six and 30 centimeters that had accumulated on the roads in Piedmont. A fallen tree fell over a roadway in Santa Clara in Santa Clara and another tree crashed into a bedroom of a house in Felton, in the rain-soaked Santa Cruz Mountains.

In Orinda, floods have been reported on Moraga Way and Glorietta Blvd.

The strongest blow of the storm had been delivered in the North Bay from Sunday afternoon.

“The rain totals for 24 hours starting at 4 a.m. include: 7.77 inches for Mt Tamalpais, 4.78 inches for Ben Lomond and 1.32 for downtown San Francisco,” the weather service posted on social media.

At 9 a.m., the total of 24 hours was 6.45 inches in Ben Lomond and 5.15 inches in Scott’s Valley.

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – An atmospheric river flowing from the Gulf of Alaska to Northern California on Saturday will bring much-needed rain for the Bay Area’s parched hills and reservoirs, but it will be strongest in the Sierra, where the Forecasters were warned of several meters of fresh snow.

A winter storm warning was issued for the Tahoe region from Saturday 10pm to Tuesday 10pm.

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“Sierra travel is expected to be extremely slow, if not impossible, due to heavy snowfall beginning Sunday for areas near and north of the US-50 spreading south, affecting all Sierra travel through Monday,” says the National Weather Service posted on Reno Saturday. “Peak intensity snow rates could be 1-3 inches per hour Sunday night through Tuesday.”

As snowstorm conditions move east, forecasters said more than 6 feet of snow could fall along the Sierra Crest and more than 3 feet on Lake Tahoe.

There is a risk of avalanches and even a rare thunderstorm event.

“This (thunderstorm) is definitely on the table from Monday evening to Tuesday morning with unstable air from the low inland,” forecasters said. “In this case, heavier snowfalls and / or lower snowfall are possible locally.”

Strong winds will also roar through the region.

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“The Sierra coasts are expected to experience winds with gusts of over 160 miles per hour which, along with the snow, will result in near-white conditions,” forecasters said.

And there will only be a short respite before the snow returns.

“While the storm will subside by Tuesday evening, post-storm excavation may affect travel into Wednesday,” forecasters said. “Then another winter storm follows, which is right on his heels from Wednesday noon to Thursday night.”

A week of snow is just right for the resorts and businesses in the region after a dry November left only a few ski slopes open and slowed the normal weekend crowd.

Sharon King, who runs Uncorked – a wine store in downtown Truckee – hopes the blizzard will eventually kickstart business.

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“Everything here is just so weather-dependent and touristic and COVID-dependent,” she said. “It was a wild ride. I missed the happy faces and the travelers. “

The post Avalanche Risk, Thundersnow; Atmospheric River To Bury Sierra Below A number of Toes Of Snow – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A cyclone off the northwest coast targeted a strong atmospheric river in northern California on Sunday and dropped a staggering amount of rain in parts of the Bay Area over a 24-hour period, weather officials said.

The National Weather Service determined that the storm system should make October 23rd the ninth day of the heaviest rainfall in downtown San Francisco since rainfall records began in 1849.

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With persistent rain, the total rainfall on Sunday for San Francisco could rise to the seventh largest rainfall of all time.

Over all months / days for a period of 24 hours, this day will already occupy the 9th of all time. There is definitely a chance of getting to 7th place. Harder to get beyond and number 1 seems very unlikely. pic.twitter.com/A4soFMW3Ba

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 25, 2021

As the storm’s strongest concentration of precipitation gradually shifted south, parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains began to see significant increases in rainfall, ranging from three to ten centimeters to over eight centimeters in the past 24 hours.

The wettest place in the Bay Area was Marin County in Kentfield, where nearly 12 inches of rain had fallen by 7 p.m.

24-hour rain sums and the radar almost 7 p.m.: Heavy rain continues to fall on already saturated ground. San Francisco has gained 3.28 “since midnight, making this the 13th rainiest day on record since 1850, and we’re breaking the October record every hour. @KPIXtv #CAwx pic.twitter.com/48TK05ZS72

– Paul Heggen (@PaulKPIX) October 25, 2021

Heavy rains at 12:30 p.m. triggered a flood warning for the Hennessey portion of the LNU Lightning Complex burn area in Napa and Sonoma counties

KPIX 5 weather center: Current conditions, maps, forecasts for your region

“Doppler radar and automatic rain gauges indicated that heavy rainfall was falling over the Hennessey portion of the LNU Lightning Complex Burn Area,” the weather service said. “The expected rate of precipitation is 0.75 to 1 inch in 1 hour. Additional rainfall of up to 1 inch is possible in the warned area. Flash floods are underway or are expected to begin shortly. “

The National Weather Service later extended flood warnings for areas in the Napa, Sonoma, and Marin counties to 9:00 p.m.

Flood warning extended to 9:00 p.m. for parts of Counties Napa, Sonoma and Marin. #cawx pic.twitter.com/EzWQNhURjT

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 25, 2021

While most flood warnings in the Bay Area were allowed to expire at 11:00 p.m., the National Weather Service extended a flood warning for the Santa Cruz district to 3:00 a.m.

Due to heavy rainfall, a flood warning was issued for the Santa Cruz district until 3 a.m. #Cawx pic.twitter.com/RCIWrNjcpy

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 25, 2021

In addition to the floods in Santa Rosa, which resulted in some evacuations and extensive road flooding in San Rafael, the National Weather Service has also issued an Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory for much of the East Bay covering Contra Costa and Alameda counties includes departure at 7:15 p.m.

The San Francisco National Weather Service has issued a flood guide to cities and small rivers. https://t.co/jR9Pc3J1po #CAwx pic.twitter.com/9TighR6JUa

– NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) October 24, 2021

Winds above 50 mph were also a problem as they howled across the Bay Area, toppling dozens of drought-weakened trees, crashing them onto cars and power lines, and forcing residents of San Francisco’s Forest Hill neighborhood out of their homes.

The National Weather Service issued a wind warning for much of the area by 8:00 p.m. when a strong atmospheric river roared into the Bay Area, grabbing nearby gale force winds and driving rain showers.

“Peak gusts were around 70 mph on higher peaks, with gusts of 40 to 80 mph filtered into lower areas,” the weather service said. “Expect the winds to linger within the main rainband, but reduce them before the rain subsides.”

From Santa Rosa to San Francisco, work teams were dispatched to the neighborhoods to clean up the fallen trees and large branches.

In San Rafael crashed on Las Pavadas Ave. a large tree on top of a car while the lower Great Highway in San Francisco between Moraga and Lawton was temporarily closed in both directions by another tree that was knocked down in the wind.

In San Francisco’s Forest Hill neighborhood, fire officers issued a mandatory evacuation warrant for houses along one block of 9th Avenue. A 30 meter high tree tilted dangerously and threatened at least three buildings.

The National Weather Service said the storm’s arrival in San Francisco was slightly ahead of schedule on Saturday night with steady rains.

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“If anything, the precipitation is above average with values ​​around 1.25 for downtown San Francisco,” said weather forecasters in the update at 3:45 am. “In the last hour alone, Mount Tamalpais reported 0.79 inches with 6-hour values ​​of 3.34 inches overnight. This is of course one of the wettest spots. “

Atmospheric flux has been raised to Category 5, the highest accolade on the Extreme Weather Laboratory scale of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and has sparked a litany of severe weather warnings and guards for the Bay Area.

Authorities have issued an evacuation order for hundreds of homes in and around the burn scar zone of the CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The order goes into effect on Sunday at 8 a.m. in parts of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.

“In the Santa Cruz Mountains it will go downhill quickly in the afternoon hours,” warned the weather service.

But many Boulder Creek residents told KPIX 5 they would ignore the order and try to weather the storm, which could dump up to six inches of rain on slopes that have just started from massive flames that burned 86,500 acres again too overgrown.

“Yeah, we’re sticking to it,” said Steven Coleman, a resident of Boulder Creek. “Where else should we go?”

Those who stayed said they had experience dealing with large storms, evacuation fatigue, and fear of looting.

“We’ll stay until it gets unsafe,” said Coleman.

“We decided to stay,” said another resident of Gloria Sitz.

Most people like Sitz either stayed with family and friends or paid for hotel rooms for more than a month during last year’s CZU fire evacuation. They said they don’t want to deal with it anymore.

“At my location we have a generator, we have chainsaws, we know how to use them and we are prepared,” said Sitz.

The weather service also warned of flooding in the north bay, particularly around the Russian River. A rockslide fell on Mark West Springs Rd overnight. near Fox Lane.

There has already been flooding at Colgan Creek near Sebastopol, where the water level had risen to 76.5 feet on Sunday morning.

“If the atmospheric flow comes to a standstill over the Russian River Basin for even a few hours, we need to watch the trends closely,” said the weather service. “More worrisome are some of the more noticeable streams from the Russian Basin such as Mark West and those near the base of Mount Tamalpais such as San Anselmo and Corte Madera.”

The main impulse of the strong subtropical moisture cloud was still aimed at North Bay on Sunday morning but would be on the move.

“The main atmospheric river will fall around the Golden Gate around 2:00 pm this afternoon,” said the weather service. “In this timeframe, expect several hours of very heavy rain to hit the urban corridors, including 101/280 in the Peninsula and 880/680 in East Bay.”

The threat of heavy rains has also already forced the Alameda County Fair, Danville Fallfest and Oakland Zoo to close on Sunday.

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Meanwhile, the turf at Levi’s Stadium will weather its toughest weather challenge ever when the San Francisco 49ers v Indianapolis Colts kicks off at around 5:30 am

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – A fast-moving cold front caused showers in the San Francisco Bay Area early Thursday.

While the rain further eased the extreme drought conditions, a stronger atmospheric river shifted its path over the weekend, missing Northern California and heading northwest.

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“The rainfall was pretty decent, with a few hundredths to a few tenths over North Bay,” said the National Weather Service. “The highest amounts are over the coastal mountains like Mt Tam, which approaches three-quarters of an inch.”

“The morning commute will not be a total washout,” said the weather forecasters. “Some wet roads will be possible. The shower activity will be over by Thursday afternoon. “

Originally, forecasters believed that a Category 1 atmospheric river would roll into the Bay Area on Sunday evening, bringing more intense rainfall with it.

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On Thursday morning, forecasters rolled back that forecast when the strong plume of moisture in the Pacific began to track northwards.

“The latest atmospheric river forecasts have scaled back the potential for Monday and Tuesday,” said forecasters. “It now looks like California is still getting a moisture boost, but the stronger boost previously advertised has shifted north. Deterministic models have also withdrawn in the case of precipitation on Monday / Tuesday. “

Meanwhile, federal drought officials released their latest weekly update Thursday morning, showing improvements in arid conditions in the Bay Area.

Mendocino, Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties were all in extreme conditions.

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While Napa, Contra Costa, and Napa counties continue to experience exceptional drought conditions.

The post In a single day Showers Throughout Bay Space; Sunday Night time Atmospheric River Shifts To Northwest – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (CNN) – Some visitors to Yosemite National Park this week were delighted to see a glowing ribbon of water that looked like molten lava tumbling down Horsetail Falls on El Capitan.

Horsetail does not normally flow at this time of year, but the recent severe storms that swept the area brought it back to life, creating the phenomenon known as “fire falls”.

The “fire fall” usually occurs on clear evenings in late February, when the setting sun shines at just the right angle through autumn. The event is such a huge attraction that Yosemite requested online reservations earlier this year to limit crowds.

Edgar Le, who was visiting from Rochester, New York, told CNN that it was “extraordinary” to see the “fire fall” while hiking near Yosemite Lodge on Tuesday.

“Like looking at a lava flow flowing down from the top of El Capitan,” he said. “For me as a landscape photographer, it is more than a miracle to see the fire fall.”

Park officials said in a Facebook post on Monday that Yosemite Valley had more than six inches of rain in a 36-hour period and that a few feet of snow fell at higher elevations.

Horsetail Fall at Dusk October 26, 2021. (Courtesy Scott Oller via CNN)

San Francisco creative director and photographer Scott Oller heard that the “Fire Fall” might be on Tuesday, so he left work around 1pm and drove to Yosemite. He told CNN that he got there with about 45 minutes.

Oller said he saw the “fire case” for the first time in February after several failed attempts in previous years.

“The fire fall is one of the most surreal things I’ve ever seen,” said Oller. “It’s almost like watching a total solar eclipse or something, you just freeze in awe.”

He said he found a pull-out area about 2,000 feet from Horsetail Fall to park and pull out his gear.

There were only about 10 other people there which is much less crowded than on his previous trips.

“In winter there is just an endless sea of ​​tripods,” says Oller.

Oller said many of the people he saw appeared to be surprised tourists who stopped their cars because they were amazed at what they saw.

“It seems incredible that this can happen and it’s getting better by the minute,” said Oller. “The light changes from gold to fiery orange to a pale pink. It’s unreal. “

The heavy rain also thundered the water over the 2,425 foot high Yosemite Falls.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen water move over the falls,” said Jerald Meadows, chief meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s office in Hanford, California.

“What usually brings us good waterfalls over Yosemite Falls is our snowpack, and last year the snowpack was very low,” which means that the river, which usually lasts until June or July, “subsided in March and April,” he told CNN.

The falls are flowing really well now, in part because little rain has taken up the parched ground, Meadows explained.

“So it may be drying out faster than normal … a shorter period of rivers than we normally see,” he said.

In terms of how long Yosemite Falls could maintain its iconic size, “everything indicates we’re having a drier than normal rainfall year,” Meadows said. “The waterfalls could dry out again in the period from November to December.”

© Copyright 2021 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

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The weather service says rain is needed as winter is drier than normal

The mountains of La Plata and San Juan are bare on the southern slopes on Saturday, but Monday through Wednesday the mountains should be covered in snow as a weather system moves through the area. (Jerry McBride / Durango Herald)

A large amount of moisture from the Pacific Ocean, known as the “atmospheric river,” flows into southwest Colorado.

“Basically, it’s this heavy cloud of moisture that comes in from the Pacific,” said Erin Walter, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. “It’s like this continuous stream, almost like a jet, but in the form of moisture.”

Over the weekend, the atmospheric river dumped over 5 inches of rain in the San Francisco area, Walter said.

Most of the moisture from the storm system in California is drained over the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin, with southwest Colorado receiving the last bit of rainfall on Tuesday.

“We’re not going to see snowflakes like we did in the Sierra Nevada, but we’re going to see some precipitation,” said Walter.

Southwest Colorado has warm conditions that will be a big factor in how much rainfall the area falls, Walter said.

“We see higher amounts of snow on Tuesday morning, and then, when the system goes through, a little colder air will come in behind it,” said Walter.

A cloud of moisture known as the atmospheric river is moving across the states and will bring rain to southwest Colorado on Tuesday. (Jerry McBride / Durango Herald file)

Cities along US Highway 160 should expect about a quarter of an inch of rain on Tuesday, with some areas potentially seeing higher, localized rainfall of about half an inch.

“For Durango, Cortez, and Pagosa Springs, I would expect at least a quarter of an inch,” said Walter.

As for snow, Silverton is expected to get about an inch of powder in town, with about 5 to 20 inches in the higher elevations of the San Juan Mountains.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its winter outlook for temperature, precipitation and drought on Thursday. This is the second year in a row La Niña, according to NOAA. The seasons of La Niña are caused by above-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific.

“The southwest is sure to remain a region of concern as we anticipate below-average rainfall with the drought continuing in most areas,” said Jon Gottschalck of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

In southwest Colorado, temperatures are expected to be 40 to 50% higher than normal, rainfall 33 to 40% lower than normal, and drought conditions expected to worsen.

“Any moisture is definitely welcome,” said Walter.

njohnson@durangoherald.com

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