Most major California news outlets reported last week that January, February and March were the driest on record. Were they right?
Yes, if they said they were talking about the Northern Sierra. Otherwise, no. Most of the ones I read did not qualify it. My colleague at the Sacramento Bee, Matt Weiser, said it correctly. But I didn't read any others who did.
And, even if it was a record for the Northern Sierra, it hardly makes this a desperately dry year, as some outlets portrayed it. Take a look at the eight-station index on the state web. It's tracking close to last year.
In other words, there was a lot of precipitation in November and December. The snowpack is nothing to write home about -- about half the average. The photo above was taken by photographer Mark Crosse from a helicopter last week above the Kings River watershed. He was photographing a disappointing snow survey.
This is California's wet season. Sporadic. Tempestuous. Capricious. It's the land where average happens once every decade or so.
If the reservoirs were less than average right now (and they are not), it would be time to worry. Now, if we see a wimpy winter in 2013-14, it will be time to worry.
