wirelessguru1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Tough on South America & the SW Pacific
> region, though. I understand they get it bad.
>
> Got what bad!?

When El Nino gives us rain, it gives drought & delayed monsoon rains in Australasia.

And from what I understand, El Nino gives South America somewhat heavier rains (so if you think we have it bad with respect to mudslides, try seeing what it does to a few hundred poorly constructed shantytowns!). It also messes up their fishery, as I recall.

> We've had one of the wettest if
> not the wettest seasons ever recorded here in
> Southern California! In addition, it has been
> raining throughout most of Northern and middle
> California throughout the beginning and middle of
> June it just stopped raining a week or so ago!!!
>
> So what drought condition are you talking about?
>
> -wirelessguru1

The one we'd "been" having.

The entire Western United States has been having below average precipitation for a number of years now (& longterm trend was drier & drier, with more weather extremes re storms, etc). And California had been having it real bad.... worse, what moisture DID fall, tended to be rain rather than snow. Normally, the Sierras act as our water bank, & gradually release snowmelt to rivers throughout most of the summer..... but here, we'd been getting more rain & less snow, and the reservoirs filled with excess going down to the sea rather than sitting on a mountaintop to use later.

Last winter started to break the drought (helped, but we were still below average). THIS YEAR, we've gotten lots of rain... which broke or mostly broke the drought for us. And not all parts of the west have been as lucky.

Kenuchelover.