California’s Precipitation Dipole: Southern Drought, Northern Rain

The NOAA stated that cooler ocean surface temperatures due to La Niña lead to a wet north and a drier south in the Golden State.

A break of sunshine hits after days of high winds and rain in Newport Beach, Calif., on March 2, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

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.