First Snow of 2017

Water has Arrived!

There seems to be a mirror effect, with a 6 month delay, on weather patterns that occur in both hemispheres.  Being a native of California and living in Mendoza, I have fun speculating weather trends for the US west coast based on what already occurred in Mendoza.   I pay close attention to snow-fall, not only because both regions are so dependent on a good snow-pack for water consumption and agricultural growth, but because I follow the health of the rivers too.  When the first snow of 2017 fell in Mendoza, the kayakers, rafters, snow skiers and grape growers joined the city folk for a genuine celebration that water was on the way.

Mendoza depends heavily on water from the snow-melt off the Andes.  Last year, the 8-year drought in Mendoza ended thanks to heavy summer rains from January – May and an accumulated snow pack.  Not only did everything from the homes to the plazas to the outdoor stadiums get a good rinsing, but the Sycamore trees, lining the city streets, were radiant again with thick green foliage.    For the most part, replenished water tables and relief from continued desertification outweigh the long faces of the grape growers, who prosper from with limited amounts of rainfall in the vineyard.

Lifting drought emergency conditions.  That’s exactly what happened in California, six months later, following the heavy snow and rain from La Nina in 2016-2017. So my quirky habits of predicting California’s 2017-2018 winter weather will continue, as we roll though this Mendoza winter and dream of snow.