California’s December Inferno

It is rare for large wildfires to burn in California in December, which is usually a wet month for the state. In 2017, the Thomas fire shattered the record for December and may soon eclipse the worst blaze in any month.

Effects of climate change could accelerate by mid-century

Environmental models are showing that the effects of climate change could be much stronger by the middle of the 21st century, and a number of ecosystem and weather conditions could consistently decline even more in the future.

Did climate change worsen the Southern California fires?

Seven of California’s 10 largest modern wildfires have occurred in the last 14 years. (The state began keeping reliable records in 1932.) Given the scale of the blazes, and their increasing regularity, it makes sense to ask: Does global warming have anything to do with this?

Future arctic sea ice loss could dry out California

Arctic sea ice loss of the magnitude expected in the next few decades could impact California’s rainfall and exacerbate future droughts, according to new research led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists.