BERKELEY, Calif. — There is a silver lining to the relentless California storms that have so far killed at least 18 people and racked up an estimated $1 billion in damages: In a single week, extreme drought conditions that had gripped almost one-third of the state have been downgraded nearly everywhere.
found that the past 22 years have been the driest period in the southwest in the last 1,200 years.
As temperatures continue to rise thanks to mankind's burning of fossil fuels, one effect, called the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship, is that there is 7% more moisture in the atmosphere per every degree Celsius of warming. That means extreme downpours like those in California in recent days can become more likely when conditions are right. By the same token, however, that relationship can also spur what U.C.L.A.
, which means that"the atmosphere's potential to act as a giant sponge and extract more water out of the landscape has increased, even if the relative humidity has stayed the same. This Clausius-Clapeyron relationship is actually what drives the atmosphere's capacity to dry out the landscape faster."
For now, however, the precipitation picture is much brighter than it was even a week ago. Water levels in depleted state reservoirs have been rising, and California's snow pack as of WednesdayWhile the risks of flash flooding remain high, more rain and snow is in the forecast for the coming week. Flood Watch has been issued Saturday morning through Monday afternoon as at least three more storms will impact the region in the coming days. Today is the dry day. Light rain Friday, moderate to heavy rain with Saturday-Monday systems.
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