Lodi Eye

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It's Here: El Niño Arrives Ahead of Schedule — and the Forecast Keeps Climbing
Weather Don Bradford Weather Don Bradford

It's Here: El Niño Arrives Ahead of Schedule — and the Forecast Keeps Climbing

When LodiEye published its April climate brief, El Niño was a forecast — a near-universal model signal that NOAA still handicapped at 61%. Four months later, the question mark is gone. El Niño conditions are present in the equatorial Pacific, NOAA has upgraded from El Niño Watch to a full El Niño Advisory, and its July 9 diagnostic discussion gives the event a 97% chance of persisting through early spring 2027 — with an 81% chance of reaching "very strong" status during October–December, which would place it among the largest El Niño events in the record going back to 1950.

The local stakes have sharpened, too. California's reservoirs enter fall in good shape — welcome news that also means the flood-control buffer is thinner than it would be coming out of a deep drought. The record marine heatwave off the coast has persisted and intensified, tropical moisture is already reaching Southern California, and the state has begun stockpiling flood-fight supplies at a scale that signals how seriously Sacramento is taking the winter ahead. The April caveats still hold — a strong El Niño label describes the ocean, not California's rainfall — but the probability needle has moved decisively since spring.

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Northern California Atmospheric River Update - January 2026
Lodi Don Bradford Lodi Don Bradford

Northern California Atmospheric River Update - January 2026

Northern California has been impacted by a series of powerful atmospheric river storms that began in late December 2025 and continued through the first week of January 2026. As of January 6, 2026, the most intense rainfall has passed, but residual flooding effects persist across the Sacramento Valley region.

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Northern California Atmospheric River - December 2025
Lodi Don Bradford Lodi Don Bradford

Northern California Atmospheric River - December 2025

Northern California is under a prolonged, high-impact atmospheric river pattern bringing several days of heavy rain, and flooding concerns from the Sacramento Valley through the northern San Joaquin Valley. Sacramento, Elk Grove, Lodi, and Stockton are all under flood watches, through at least December 26

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Central Texas Flood - July 6
Natural Disasters Don Bradford Natural Disasters Don Bradford

Central Texas Flood - July 6

The Central Texas floods have caused unprecedented devastation, especially in the Hill Country and Kerr County, with dozens dead, many missing, and entire communities upended. Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing, involving a coordinated response from federal, state, and local agencies, as well as numerous nonprofits. The public can support relief efforts through verified funds and organizations, and those affected should use the official channels above for assistance and information.

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