California Applications Program (CAP) &
The California Climate Change Center (CCCC)
Climate information for California decision makers
Funded by the NOAA Office of Global Programs and
California Energy Commission
CAP is a NOAA/OGP Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) member
Our partner site: California Climate Data Archive
State of California: California Climate Change Portal 		2006 Annual Report
References
Conferences
Requests for Proposals
Contacts
Water year ends -- see newsletter from the California Department of Water Resources -- October 1, 2008

2008 Climate Action Team Report

Percent of historical (1961-1990) water year precipitation during 3 climate change periods (2005-2034, 2035,2064, 2070-2099) from 6 coupled models (CNRM CM3, GFDL CM2.1, MIROC3.2 (med), MPI ECHAM5, NCAR CCSM3, NCAR PCM1) and two climate change scenarios (SRESA2, SRESB1).
To meet the state's greenhouse gas reduction targets, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger directed the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to coordinate with several agencies (forming the Climate Action Team -- CAT). CAT releases a bi-annual report on the progress made toward meeting the statewide greenhouse gas targets.
The 2008 Climate Action Team Report work is in progress and a sneak peak at some preliminary results is offered here.
Please click here for more information.
Success Stories

The California Applications Program (CAP) and the California Climate Change Center (CCCC) aim to develop and provide better climate information and forecasts for decision makers in California and the surrounding region. By working directly with users, CAP and CCCC are working to evaluate climate information needs and utility from the user perspective.

Objectives
  • Evaluate climate forecasts and projections for California
  • Improve understanding of mechanisms linking climate and its impacts
  • Develop local models and forecasts of water resources and fire risks
  • Disseminate climate information, including forecasts and projections, to California decision makers
Approach
  • Work directly with users to develop useful forecast applications
  • Downscale climate forecasts and simulations from global to regional to local scales
  • Determine forecast reliability using historical hindcasts
  • Provide a variety of forecasts in real time
Lessons Learned
  • Interest level of public and private sectors varies; Climatologists must be ready to strike when iron is hot
  • Simple, clear illustrations are needed
  • Relationships with end-users need to be cultivated
  • Communication enhances credibility
  • More focus is needed on non-winter seasons and broader regions
  • Collaborations with large institutional programs are key
  • Climate data needs to be updated and maintained
 Lessons learned from testimony to U.S. House of Representatives; click here for detailed contribution

Tioga Pass
Please visit
http://tenaya.ucsd.edu/tioga
for the latest image.

Special CAP/CCCC Topics

Californa Drought: An Update -- 2008
features
Changes in Aridity in the western United States
2002 distribution of areas with energy-limited evapotranspiration (black), water-limited evapotranspiration (white) and extremely water-limited or arid regions (yellow).
The West is relatively well-adapted to aridity. However during real droughts broad areas that are normally semi-arid or humid are subject to drier conditions. During droughts, the balance between waters that run off and those that evaporate back into the atmosphere are transformed temporarily. These changes color the entire region's water supplies and vegetation.
Please click here for this article.
Please click here for the full drought report.

Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims Drought
NOAA/ERSL PSD and CIRES-CDC
The percent of normal precipitation for the last two years (June 2006-May 2008) shows much of California at less than 60% of normal.
Following two straight years of below-average rainfall, very low snowmelt runoff and the largest court-ordered water transfer restrictions in state history, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today (June 4) proclaimed a statewide drought and issued an Executive Order, which takes immediate action to address a dire situation where numerous California communities are being forced to mandate water conservation or rationing. The lack of water has created other problems, such as extreme fire danger due to dry conditions, economic harm to urban and rural communities, loss of crops and the potential to degrade water quality in some regions.
Please click here to learn more
Previous Special Topics
Please click here for previous special topics
CAP/CCCC Research

Climate and Wildfire in the Western United States
August fire ignitions, fraction of annual, 1980-1999
Tony Westerling -- May 9, 2008
A recent white paper by Tony Westerling (CAP/CCCC PI) explores natural and anthropogenic factors that drive the number and extent of wildfires in the western United States.
Click here for the full report and more information on Wildfires in California and the western U.S.
MtnClim 2008
Mountain Climate Research Conference

Click above for 2008 Conference Archives
Scripps Hydroclimate Weather Observations
San Diego Forecast
 California Current Radar
Western Infrared Image
Current southern California Santa Ana Conditions are indicated by the color of the button to the right
RED = YES Meteorological parameters indicate Santa Ana conditions are occurring
GREEN = NO Meteorological parameters indicate Santa Ana conditions are NOT occurring
Click here for more information
Western Regional Climate Center
IRI Forecasts
 ECPC Forecasts
SIO Weather Page
Data Resources
 Reading Room

Recent articles of interest to climate and climate change
PACLIM 2007
PACLIM XXIII talks and posters

MTNCLIM 2008
MTNCLIM 2008 conference archives

Climate Variability and CALFED

Links
Forecast Resources

Mosquitos! A good catch!
Read more about CAP/CCCC research linking mosquito abundance to climate
Thank you for visiting the California Applications Program/California Climate Change Center website!

CAP/CCCC is directed from the Climate Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California - San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0224
Phone: (858) 534-4507; FAX: (858) 822-2028

Last update: 2 October 2008
Please direct any comments or questions to:
Mary Tyree

This website was prepared by Mary Tyree partially under award NA17RJ1231 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the Department of Commerce.


Folsom Dam; built 1955-1956
Read more about CAP/CCCC project INFORM: Integrated Forecast and Management; increasing water-use efficiency for northern California reservoirs