Fires are tearing through a dry Southern California, but rainy conditions have led to a wetter-than-usual winter in the state’s northern half.
As of Jan. 7, much of the Central Valley was “abnormally dry” and southern California ranged from moderate to extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
This disparity is known as a “precipitation dipole,” meaning one part of a region experiences more rain than the other.
“The average annual precipitation statewide is typically higher across northern CA than southern CA,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) told The Epoch Times via email. “However, this winter that difference has been on the extreme end so far.”…