What a contrast to this time in 2011, when we were awash in snow and all the water it held for the spring thaw. We start 2012, however, with virtually the opposite picture. Not only has it been dry, but we have just had the first December since 1883 with no measurable precipitation recorded at the official National Weather Service monitoring station at Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
Clouds over Mt. Rose, near Reno, Nevada.
Photo © Stan White
Down south, Carson City also had a dry December. The last time Nevada's capital had no rain or snow in December was 2000. According to the National Weather Service, the culprit is a ridge of high pressure off the coast of California, which pushes storm systems toward the Pacific Northwest. The result is lots of rain and snow in Washington and Oregon, none for us. The forecast for the first week in 2012 calls for more of the same.
I have to admit that I'm enjoying the sunshine in the dead of winter, but this isn't going to be good if it keeps up. Not only is it bad for the economy right now (think ski resorts and winter sports), it will be bad for the water supply this summer. Last winter's epic snow pack will only go so far. We've had some pretty dramatic recoveries following dry spells, so it's a little early yet to push the panic button. Even so, we should all be thinking about water conservation and how not to waste this essential resource.
Sources: National Weather Service, Reno Gazette-Journal.
Get more Reno / Tahoe information:
- Receive the Reno / Tahoe Newsletter.- Speak up on the Reno / Tahoe Discussion Forum.
- Follow me on Twitter.
Comments
The last “we” in this article should be “be”.
Oops. Now fixed. Thanks to Geronimo for pointing out the typo.