CS: California Drought

• Location: northern hemisphere, west in USA, west of Nevada. Hottest droughts in Los Angeles and San Francisco
• 2012: record temperatures set

  2012-2015: three year drought
• Caused by the position of the polar jet stream separating polar air masses and typical warmer air masses. In 2012-2015, the jet stream was more north than usual, bringing high pressure systems to bring hot weather to California.
• Impacts:

  -hosepipe ban - not allowed to water gardens

  -farmers lost $1 billion in resources

  -wildlife destroyed from being damaged or burnt

  -salmon and trout killed in major rivers die to reduction in oxygen levels
• Long term consequence:

  -groundwater not recharged - serious threat to businesses

  -erect controversial overland pipes to meet demand for water