Enjoying the nice weather? Might as well

San Francisco Chronicle/Peter Fimrite, 1/19/14, "California drought:  Water officials look to rules of '70s."

Do you even remember the water rationing of 1977?
  Seriously dude, it couldn't have been that bad

...."...1977, was one of the driest in California history, a drought that inspired a water conservation movement, along with low-flow toilets and showerheads, water-saving washing machines and dishwashers, drip irrigation and recycled water.

....  While Californians are environmentally conscious and mindful of conserving natural resources, water demand has never been greater. The state's population has nearly doubled since the '70s, from 20 million to 38 million, and agricultural needs remain significant: The Golden State produces nearly half of the nation's fruits, nuts and vegetables.

....  The problem, according to meteorologist Jan Null of Golden Gate Weather Services, is that an area of high pressure has been changing the trajectory of the jet stream, guiding storms away from California and the western United States, like a boulder in a creek blocking the current. What the jet stream is trying to do is equalize the cold air from the poles and the hot air from the equator," Null said. "That balance has always changed in the past, but when the right balance is reached, it can stay there for a long time."   Read article.

Note:  photograph from Pacifica Hotels.

Posted by Kathy Meeh