There are some very old trees in California. Some very old tree rings in them for gaining an idea of what past growing seasons have been like.
I'm a little concerned about commercial media wanting to panic us, however.
California is a wonderful place. We have our Texans talking about "having it all." California, too! It may be a little smaller but that just makes the "all" more accessible.
There is plenty in California. Plenty of people, too ...
Ya know. Being in the "empty quarter, fly-over zone" isn't too bad. It's okay not to get too much attention but, it's a little odd.
Take a storm moving out of northeastern California. California is a big place and that's their empty quarter. Anyway, Boise can pick up that storm for awhile on it's radar. Then, as it moves a little further north, it disappears!
Oh yes, the WS can look at it from a satellite. It just doesn't show up on radar until Washington's Tri-cities pick it up. I don't think they can figure out how to turn the radar on in Pendleton ..

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Steve