This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/oct/17/weatherwatch-fires-in-california-and-snow-in-denver-are-linked-events
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Weatherwatch: fires in California and snow in Denver are linked events | Weatherwatch: fires in California and snow in Denver are linked events |
| (4 months later) | |
| Research shows human activity has raised the probability of hot, dry winds putting California increasingly at risk of wildfires | |
| Kate Ravilious | |
| Tue 17 Oct 2017 21.30 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.17 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| It’s been a dreadful couple of weeks for California. Raging wildfires have consumed more than 87,000 hectares (217,000 acres), an area larger than New York City. At least 41 people have died, 75,000 people have had to be evacuated and an estimated 5,700 homes and businesses have been destroyed. | It’s been a dreadful couple of weeks for California. Raging wildfires have consumed more than 87,000 hectares (217,000 acres), an area larger than New York City. At least 41 people have died, 75,000 people have had to be evacuated and an estimated 5,700 homes and businesses have been destroyed. |
| The wine country to the north of San Francisco has been particularly hard hit, with entire towns having to be evacuated. By contrast, Denver, on the other side of the Rocky Mountain chain, received its first snowfall of the year. The co-incidental timing of these two very different weather events was far from a chance occurrence. | The wine country to the north of San Francisco has been particularly hard hit, with entire towns having to be evacuated. By contrast, Denver, on the other side of the Rocky Mountain chain, received its first snowfall of the year. The co-incidental timing of these two very different weather events was far from a chance occurrence. |
| The strong high-pressure system that brought the snow over Colorado also fed the dry easterly winds, which rolled over the Rocky Mountains and funnelled through the canyons of the Sierra Nevada. As it tumbled downwards this dry air compressed and warmed, so becoming drier still. By the time the winds reached Sonoma county, California, they exceeded hurricane force gusting more than 77mph (125km/h). All that was needed was a spark and fire was inevitable. | The strong high-pressure system that brought the snow over Colorado also fed the dry easterly winds, which rolled over the Rocky Mountains and funnelled through the canyons of the Sierra Nevada. As it tumbled downwards this dry air compressed and warmed, so becoming drier still. By the time the winds reached Sonoma county, California, they exceeded hurricane force gusting more than 77mph (125km/h). All that was needed was a spark and fire was inevitable. |
| Such winds are known as El Diablo (the devil) in northern California and Santa Ana in southern California, and, combined with a warmer, drier California, these winds are increasingly likely to be associated with wildfires in future. | Such winds are known as El Diablo (the devil) in northern California and Santa Ana in southern California, and, combined with a warmer, drier California, these winds are increasingly likely to be associated with wildfires in future. |
| Research published two years ago in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that human activities have increased the probability that dry years will coincide with warm years. And as these tinder-box conditions become increasingly common the golden state will need to be on high alert each time El Diablo and Santa Ana sweep in. | Research published two years ago in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that human activities have increased the probability that dry years will coincide with warm years. And as these tinder-box conditions become increasingly common the golden state will need to be on high alert each time El Diablo and Santa Ana sweep in. |
| Wildfires | |
| Weatherwatch | |
| US weather | |
| California | |
| Meteorology | |
| Climate change | |
| features | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |