Comments on: 2010 the 9000th Warmest Year

By: Jonathan DuHamel

Jonathan DuHamel — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:18:52 +0000

From meteorologist Anthony Watts, speaking of California weather:

The past month also serves as precautionary reminder that all La Ninas (and El Ninos) are not created equal. While the long term averaging of California rainfall from various warm and cold tropical Pacific Sea Surface Temperature can give a composite look at past events, there are NO absolutes for any given year.
This is true with the current moderate/strong event which doesn’t fit the La Nina stereotype. This was also the case with December 1955 and December 1964 which both saw extensive flooding over much of the state.

By: Jonathan DuHamel

Jonathan DuHamel — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:45:11 +0000

You are correct. We are still under the influence of El Nino. But the transition to La Nina has been predicted to start soon by some forecasters while others predict 2010-2011 will be another strong El Nino year. There was some speculaltion back in June that the transition was beginning, see: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624141820.htm

By: Irving Jacob

Irving Jacob — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 23:44:32 +0000

If we had a La Nina this year in the pacific, why, then, was December, 2010 a very wet month? And, now that it is January, 2011, why are we still getting drenched? I thought that this is common to an el nino, not a la nina.