Natural History Wanderings

The San Francisco Chronicle reports

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center, in its monthly long-term weather outlook, boosted the odds of precipitation for California this winter and spring — including, crucially, the areas in the North State and Sierra that supply the bulk of the state’s water supply. Forecasters have long pegged Southern and Central California for rain in coming months, but with El Niño in the tropical Pacific gaining strength and warm pockets of ocean water expected to add moisture to the atmosphere, federal forecasters have broadened their bullishness. ‘

The updated outlook calls for better chances of above-average rainfall for nearly the entire Sierra. San Francisco stands a more than 50 percent chance of seeing wet weather in January through March

Read full story at El Niño looking like a rainy winner for state’s watersheds – SFGate

Read the NOAA ( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) October forecast for El Niño at October 2015 El Niño update: Pumpkin spice | NOAA Climate.gov