High-Country Health Food and Cafe in Mariposa California

CASA
'Click' Here to Visit: 'Yosemite Bug Health Spa', Now Open.
'Click' Here to Visit: 'Yosemite Bug Health Spa', Now Open. "We provide a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere. Come in and let us help You Relax"
'Click' for More Info: 'Chocolate Soup', Fine Home Accessories and Gifts, Located in Mariposa, California
'Click' for More Info: 'Chocolate Soup', Fine Home Accessories and Gifts, Located in Mariposa, California
'Click' Here to Visit Happy Burger Diner in Mariposa... "We have FREE Wi-Fi, we're Eco-Friendly & have the Largest Menu in the Sierra"
'Click' Here to Visit Happy Burger Diner in Mariposa... "We have FREE Wi-Fi, we're Eco-Friendly & have the Largest Menu in the Sierra"
'Click' for More Info: Inter-County Title Company Located in Mariposa, California
'Click' for More Info: Inter-County Title Company Located in Mariposa, California

california-drought-monitor-20102015

California and National Drought Summary for February 10, 2015

Summary

This U.S. Drought Monitor week saw improvements along the West Coast as a series of strong Pacific storms produced substantial rainfall accumulations in northern California and western portions of Oregon and Washington. The storms were the first significant precipitation event to affect California since mid-December. Since the moisture associated with these storms was subtropical in origin, the vast majority of the precipitation fell as rain while snowfall was restricted to the higher elevations. Overall, the storms had little impact on the well-below-normal snowpack conditions across the Sierra Nevada and Cascades ranges. Elsewhere in the West, mountain snowpack conditions are currently below normal across the Great Basin and Southwest as well as in parts of the Intermountain West and Central Rockies. Reservoir storage remains below normal in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah in contrast to slightly above average conditions in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. Temperatures during the past week were well above normal in the western half of the conterminous U.S. with record high temperatures observed across the West and Central Plains. In contrast, the Northeast remained in a cold, snowy pattern with areas of Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont receiving more than a foot of new snowfall.

Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico

On this week’s map, conditions remained status quo in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. In the Hawaiian Islands, temperatures during the past week were slightly above normal and precipitation was slightly below normal. In Alaska, temperatures were generally below normal across most of the state, and precipitation was below normal. According to the NRCS, the snowpack in Alaska is well below normal across most of Alaska with the exception of northern portions of Southcentral Alaska and eastern portions of the Interior.

Mid-Atlantic

The Mid-Atlantic remained drought-free on this week’s map. Overall, the region was dry and temperatures during the past week were slightly below normal along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard, while areas in the western half of Virginia saw temperatures two-to-six degrees above normal. During the weekend, the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Baltimore/Washington D.C. reported a record daily high temperature of 68°F at Washington National Airport. On the map, short-term precipitation deficits and below-normal streamflows led to the expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) in southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina.

Midwest

During the past week, temperatures were well below normal across northern Illinois, Michigan, northern Ohio, and Wisconsin while Minnesota and Missouri experienced temperatures well above normal. On Saturday, unseasonably high temperatures were observed in Missouri including record high temperatures in Springfield (74°F) and St. Louis (71°F), according to the National Weather Service. The region was generally dry with the exception of snowfall in northern Michigan and northern Ohio. According to the NWS National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center, the total area covered by snow in the northern Great Lakes region was 99.2% as of February 11, 2015. On this week’s map, short-term precipitation deficits during the last 90-days led to expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) and Moderate Drought (D1) across central and eastern Kentucky as well as areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) in southwestern Missouri where streamflow and stock pond levels continued to drop.

The Northeast

The Northeast remained drought-free on the map this week as a cold and snowy pattern persisted across the region. Average temperatures for the week were six-to-twelve degrees below normal across the region, and significant snowfall accumulations in excess of a foot were observed in parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. According to the National Weather Service National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) snow analysis, the Northeast is currently 99.2% covered by snow.

The Plains

Across the northern and southern Plains states, temperatures were well above normal for the period. During the weekend, record high temperatures were observed in Kansas and South Dakota. In western Kansas, temperatures soared into the high 70s and low 80s, while portions of South Dakota reached the mid-60s. On this week’s map, changes included expansion of Abnormally Dry (D0) into western South Dakota in response to above normal temperatures and precipitation deficits during the past 30 days. In southeastern Kansas, some minor expansion in an area of Moderate Drought (D1) occurred in response to warmer temperatures and deterioration in local stock pond levels.

The South

During the past week, generally dry conditions prevailed across most of the region with the exception of some light shower activity (less than one inch of accumulation) along the Gulf Coast regions of Louisiana and Texas. Temperatures across the region were well above normal in the western portions of Texas, while southeastern Texas and most of Louisiana and Mississippi experienced below-normal temperatures. During the weekend, well-above-normal temperatures were observed in the Texas Panhandle including record high temperatures in Amarillo (83°F) and Lubbock (84°F), according to the National Weather Service. On the map, unseasonably warm temperatures during the last 30 days led to some minor degradation of areas of Moderate Drought (D1) and Severe Drought (D2) in the northern portion of the Texas Panhandle. In north-central Texas and the Hill Country, many of the area reservoirs are at or near historic lows for this time of year. According to Water Data for Texas, the Austin area reservoirs are currently 38% full. In response, one-category degradations were made in these areas to reflect long-term hydrological impacts. Elsewhere in the region, short-term precipitation deficits and below-normal streamflow activity led to expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) in Arkansas and northern Mississippi as well as areas of Moderate Drought (D1) and Severe Drought (D2) in Tennessee.

The Southeast

During the past week, the Southeast continued in a dry pattern with the exception of some shower activity in north-central and west-central Florida. Average temperatures for the period were slightly below normal. In northern Alabama and Georgia, short-term precipitation deficits and below-normal streamflow activity led to the expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0). During the last 30 days, precipitation deficits across Alabama and Georgia ranged from two-to-five inches.

The West

During the past week, a series of strong Pacific storms came ashore late last week and continued throughout the weekend. This storm system – which tapped a conveyor-belt of warm, moist air from the subtropics – delivered widespread, heavy rainfall to northern California and the western portions of Oregon and Washington. In northern California, liquid precipitation accumulations ranged from three-to-fifteen inches, with the highest accumulations centered over the mountains of northwestern and north-central California as well as further south in the Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia ranges. In the northern half of the Sierra Nevada Range, rainfall accumulations ranged from three-to-ten inches, and the greatest accumulations occurred on the western slope between 2000 and 7000 feet in elevation. Snow levels were generally high (above 8000 feet) throughout the storms, and the cumulative effect of the snowfall received did not have a significant impact on the poor snowpack conditions across the range. According to the California Department of Water Resources, California’s snowpack (snow water equivalent) is currently at 27% of normal. On a more positive note, runoff associated with the event provided the addition of approximately 500,000 acre feet of inflow to the four major reservoirs (Folsom, Oroville, Shasta, and Trinity) in northern California. In response to the storm, a one-category improvement was made to areas of Extreme Drought (D3) in northwestern California as well as in the Santa Cruz Mountains (between San Francisco and Santa Cruz) and in the northern half of the Santa Lucia Range along the Central Coast. No changes were made on the map in the Sierra Nevada Range because snowpack conditions remain well below normal. In the Pacific Northwest, the same series of storms brought heavy rains (four-to-eight inches) to western portions of Oregon and Washington leading to one-category improvements in southwestern Oregon. According to the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOTEL network, the snowpack in the Cascades of Oregon and Washington remains well below normal for this time year with snow water equivalent (SWE) percentages ranging from 7 to 64% of normal with the lowest values being observed in Oregon. Overall, the past week was unseasonably warm (three to fifteen degrees above normal) across the entire West with record high temperatures observed in California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Looking Ahead

The NWS HPC 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) calls for light precipitation accumulations (generally less than one inch) across the eastern half of the country while portions of the central and southern Rockies are forecasted to receive between one and two inches of liquid accumulation. The 6–10 day outlooks call for a high probability of above-normal temperatures across the West while below-normal temperatures are forecasted for the eastern half of the country. A high probability of above-normal precipitation is forecasted across eastern portions of the West, Plains, South, Southeast, and the Mid-Atlantic regions while below-normal precipitation is expected in the Pacific Northwest, northern California, Great Basin, and the Upper Midwest.

Author(s):
David Simeral, Western Regional Climate Center

Dryness Categories

D0 ... Abnormally Dry ... used for areas showing dryness but not yet in drought, or for areas recovering from drought.

Drought Intensity Categories

D1 ... Moderate Drought

D2 ... Severe Drought

D3 ... Extreme Drought

D4 ... Exceptional Drought

Drought or Dryness Types

S ... Short-Term, typically <6 months (e.g. agricultural, grasslands)

L ... Long-Term, typically >6 months (e.g. hydrology, ecology)