Fire and Rain

This book shows how California's weather and climate have drastically changed and what we can expect in the near future. California's weather and climate are becoming as common a topic in US media coverage as inflation and wars. It comes into the lives of US citizens during heat waves when they require more cooling and during droughts when they are asked to limit their use of water. They may not be able to visit state and national parks when fires rage nearby. Indeed, California does have weather. LaDochy and Witiw dispel the erroneous myths about the state's climate in a colourful, entertaining way. California does have seasons. It does rain in Southern California. It is not always sunny and mild throughout the year. And not all El Niños bring abundant rainfall every time throughout the state. These and other myths are discussed and dismissed with the latest science and remarkable vignettes. The authors describe the diversity of the state's physical environment, both natural and man-made and how climate change is currently altering this diverse environment. Climate change, in the past, present and future, continues to influence this most populous state.

Chapter 1. Introduction: The Most Climatically Diverse State in the U.S
Chapter 2. The Physical Environment: Causes of Regional Climate Types
Chapter 3. California Sunshine: The Most Sunshine in the U.S
Chapter 4. Temperatures are Rising (isn't surprising)
Chapter 5. Fog: A Menace or Friend?
Chapter 6. Precipitation: It Does Rain in California
Chapter 7. Atmosphere-Ocean Interactions: Do El Niños Predict Rainfall?
Chapter 8. Winds: Sea Breezes and Santa Anas
Chapter 9. Mid-latitude Cyclones: Pacific Storms Refresh the Parched Land
Chapter 10. Thunderstorms: Lightning, Hail and Tornadoes, Oh My
Chapter 11. Climate Change: The Future Ain't What it Used to Be
Chapter 12. Air Pollution: Smoggiest Place in the U.S
Chapter 13. California Agriculture: Leading the Continent in Produce