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Four Hundred Years of California Precipitation
Reference
Haston, L. and Michaelsen, J.  1997.  Spatial and temporal variability of southern California precipitation over the last 400 yr and relationships to atmospheric circulation patterns.  Journal of Climate 10: 1836-1852.

What was done
The authors developed a 400-year history of precipitation for 29 stations in coastal and near-interior California between San Francisco Bay and the U.S.-Mexican border using tree-ring chronologies.

What was learned
In the words of the authors, "region-wide precipitation during the last 100 yr has been unusually high and less variable compared to other periods in the past."

What it means
Over the past century, which has been castigated by many as having played host to dangerous global warming, precipitation in this important region of California has increased, while its variability has decreased, both of which changes are huge positives for man and nature alike.


Reviewed 30 August 2000