HUGE WIN! H.R. 1897 the bill that would have gutted Endangered Species Act protections for threatened and endangered species has been pulled from today’s House floor vote. Your calls and pressure worked. Thank you for speaking up.
The acting head of the CDC has canceled publication of a study showing the Covid vaccine sharply cut hospitalizations and emergency visits last winter.
New Weather West post out this evening: "Unusually active April weather pattern to continue this week, and possibly beyond, as subtropical northeastern Pacific waters reach record warmth."
Talking weather and climate with with Daniel Swain, @ucanr.edu climate scientist: A conversation regarding the record-smashing warm month of March for the western U.S. and what it means for the region going forward.
News: a leading NSF supported University of Oklahoma atmospheric science summer undergraduate research program that has mentored hundreds of top atmospheric scientists over two decades has been canceled for 2026 due to funding loss. (repost w/correct link) More: tinyurl.com/3zjzf7vu
ECMWF Science Blog graphic titled ‘How confident should we be in a prediction of El Niño?’ alongside a colour‑shaded Pacific Ocean temperature map. Author Tim Stockdale.
How confident should we be in a prediction of El Niño?
Seasonal forecasts show an emerging warm ENSO signal, but predictability remains low during the spring barrier.
Read our blog diving deeper into how to interpret our ENSO-related seasonal forecasts ➡️ www.ecmwf.int/en/about/med...
Glad to see that the Sacramento Bee is advertising a cool new newsroom meteorologist position! Frankly, I think every major regional/national newspaper needs in-house expertise like this. Role requires degree in meteorology/atm science (as it should!)
I've excerpted a ~5 minute segment from my recent livestream discussing my deepening concerns regarding on the ongoing (and accelerating) threats not only to weather and climate science, but American science leadership and continuity at large.
Today was already quite active in NorCal, w/several severe thunderstorms & at least one photogenic supercell. Fri & Sat will be even more unusual, w/widespread t-storms & likely at least a few severe ones. I may have a pop-up livestream, time TBD, on Fri or Sat for a radar tour!
I couldn't agree more with Kate that it's okay--even necessary--to get mad, stay mad, and channel that anger along any number of constructive avenues in this disconcerting moment.
Map of Western U.S. showing predicted 500mb GPH anomalies later this week (from ECMWF model). It depicts a double-barreled low pressure system near/to the northwest of California, which will bring active weather to portions of the state (and more inland states) in the coming days.
Another significant weather pattern shift is imminent in California and perhaps also across broader portions of the American West. Despite return of strong ridging & record warmth over the weekend, this setup is more transient and will soon be replaced by unsettled conditions.
I'll host a live office hour on Wed, Apr 8 at 2pm PT to discuss imminent shift to a more unsettled weather pattern across CA & the West, including potential for widespread thunderstorm activity & beneficial precip. Also: I'll offer another federal update.
Map of Western U.S. showing predicted precipitation accumulation over the next 10 days from the ECMWF ensemble. It depicts widespread precipitation nearly everywhere, mostly light but locally heavier in the mountains (including, importantly, the Sierra Nevada).
Previously, ensemble outlooks from Mar showed low but real possibility of a more active/unsettled pattern into Apr. That now appears, fortuitously, to be coming to fruition. While snowpack will not meaningfully recover, beneficial mountain precip will still top up soil moisture.
For your consideration: Crowd funding for "The Sky is the Limit (NCAR--A documentary about a crown jewel of American science, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the peril it faces."
For more details, check out my WeatherWest.com blog post from this past weekend or tomorrow's YouTube livestream (3/31 at 2pm PT):
www.youtube.com/watc...
Map showing predicted 500mb GPH anomaly from ECMWF ensemble. It indicates a trough/low pressure system along the West Coast by mid-week, finally breaking our record-shattering heatwave.
Map showing predicted predicted precipitation accumulation from ECMWF ensemble over the next 7 days. It indicates fairly widespread, albeit modest, precipitation across much of northern and central California (especially the North Coast and Sierra Nevada), along with other portions of the West north of the Four Corners region.
A reminder that the long-awaited pattern change, featuring *much* cooler temperatures & some precipitation (mainly north & in higher mountains), will arrive by Tue. This won't meaningfully ameliorate the now-historic low snowpack conditions, but it sure will be nice for a change!
San Francisco's official weather station has hit 80 degrees (again).
In case you missed it Mon: My update on the record-shattering March heatwave (which is returning this week across the interior West), unprecedented March snowpack loss, and prospects for some relief (cooler temps and at least a brief period of precipitation) in early April was recorded (link below).
But my main concern remains the interior West, especially Colorado River Basin. Here, there is a growing near-term risk (by later this spring and summer) of water supply and hydroelectric shortfalls, an early and intense fire season, and ecosystem degradation. This is a big deal.
Screenshot of current Upper Colorado Basin snow water equivalent as of Mar 23. It is at a record low level for the date, by a wide margin, and the trajectory of the curve is strongly downward at extreme odds with every single other historical year in March. Via USDA NRCS.
Amid the historic and ongoing record heatwave (which will continue for at least another week in this region), Colorado River Basin snowpack has unfortunately taken an unprecedented March nosedive. Given the pre-existing water crisis, this is a highly alarming trajectory.
Map of U.S., from coolwx.com, showing locations currently experiencing record-breaking temperatures. There are countless such locations in the Western U.S., with hundreds of red dots (locations breaking daily record highs) and countless pink dots (locations breaking March monthly record highs). The region of record heat extends from the Pacific Coast to the Mississippi River, and from Canada to Mexico. The region of red and pink dots is vastly larger even than yesterday's.
...And, again today, a huge swath of the continental United States clear across from the Pacific Coast to Mississippi River is experiencing all-time March monthly record heat. Some locations are so hot that they are actually exceeding *April* all-time record highs. Incredible.
Screenshot of CNN headline that reads: "A top FEMA official has history of violent rhetoric and said he once teleported to Waffle House"
The story actually gets worse from there, BTW:
Map of U.S., from coolwx.com, showing locations currently experiencing record-breaking temperatures. There are countless such locations in the Western U.S., with hundreds of red dots (locations breaking daily record highs) and many dozens of pink dots (locations breaking March monthly record highs). The region of record heat extends from the Pacific Coast to the Great Plains, and from Canada to Mexico.
Well, if yesterday's map was ridiculous, I'm running out of superlatives to characterize today's. Countless locations from Pacific Coast to Great Plains are currently experiencing all-time record March warmth, w/ some locations approaching/exceeding April (or even May) records.
Map of U.S., from coolwx.com, showing locations currently experiencing record-breaking temperatures. There are countless such locations in the Western U.S., with hundreds of red dots (locations breaking daily record highs) and dozens of pink dots (locations breaking March monthly record highs). The region of record heat extends from the Pacific Coast to the Great Plains, and from Canada to Mexico.
Fair to say that the Western U.S. heatwave has reached record-shattering status, with dozens of locations breaking all-time March monthly heat records & some now approaching *April* records. Swath of record heat extends clear from Pacific to Great Plains, & from Canada to Mexico.
A large high-pressure ridge sets up shop over the Western US, generating record-breaking heat.
An atmospheric river follows the path of the ridge, bringing heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
Missed it? #UCANR climate scientist Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social joined @kqedforum.bsky.social to discuss the unusual March heat wave across the West. Bay Area temps could run 20–30°F above average, raising concerns about snowpack, wildfire risk & water supply.
www.kqed.org/forum/201010...
♨️This week: a prolonged heat wave will push temperatures 20-30°F above normal across much of the western U.S.
🌡️Dozens of daily and all-time March records expected...including the earliest 100°F temps on record.
A short 🧵
It is going to get hot this week. 🥵
☀️ Temperatures will soar 20 to 30°F above normal making it feel more like early June than mid-March for many. Dozens of daily high temperatures records are forecast to be broken or tied this week.
(1/2)
