NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Lake County woman was killed and three others were injured in a Saturday morning crash on Highway 101 in Mendocino County.

Wanda Shields, 67, of Nice died in the two-vehicle crash, which occurred just before 9 a.m. Saturday on Highway 101 north of Geysers Road, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol's Ukiah Area office.

The CHP said Xuan Zuo, 30, of Kirkland, Wash., was driving her 2004 Honda northbound on Highway 101 in the No. 1 lane and swerved for an object ahead of her.

She lost control of the vehicle and crossed over the center median and into the southbound lanes, directly into the path of a 1998 Buick driven by 74-year-old Don Shields of Nice, with Wanda Shields riding as his passenger, the CHP said.

The vehicles driven by Zuo and Shields collided, with Wanda Shields sustaining fatal injuries, according to the CHP.

The CHP said Don Shields suffered major injuries and was transported by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Zuo had minor injuries and her right front passenger, Jiapeng Lu, 33, also of Kirkland, suffered major injuries and was transported to Ukiah Valley Medical Center, the CHP said. Another passenger in Zuo's vehicle, which the report indicated was a young child, was uninjured.

The CHP said all of those involved in the crash were using their seat belts at the time of the crash, and alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor.

The CHP said the crash remains under investigation.

Highway 101 near Comminsky Road Station Road was closed for about three and a half hours following the crash, the CHP said.

Editor's note: The original version of the CHP's preliminary report on the crash indicated Wanda Shields was not wearing her seat belt. However, in a followup on Wednesday the CHP corrected its report to note that she was, indeed, using her safety equipment.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A Willits man died Friday night after being struck by a vehicle while crossing Highway 20 near Blue Lakes.

The 46-year-old man's name was not released by the California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office pending notification of next of kin.

In a preliminary report issued early Saturday morning, the CHP said the crash occurred at 8:40 p.m. Friday on Highway 20 east of Irvine Avenue, which is located near Blue Lakes Lodge.

Larry Pergeau, 37, of Ukiah, was driving his 2004 Ford Ranger westbound at approximately 50 miles per hour, with 39-year-old Dawn Beckwith, also of Ukiah, riding as his passenger, the CHP said.

The pedestrian was crossing Highway 20 at Irvine Avenue from south to north. As Pergeau rounded a moderate turn to the right he saw the pedestrian crossing the roadway directly ahead, the report said.

Pergeau braked and swerved his pickup to the left, but the CHP said he was unable to avoid hitting the pedestrian.

The CHP said the Willits resident struck the right side headlight, bumper and hood, and was thrown onto the north shoulder of Highway 20.

Northshore Fire Protection District personnel arrived on scene shortly afterward. Radio reports indicated paramedics attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the injured man.

Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene, the CHP said.

Pergeau was evaluated at the scene, and authorities said he was not under the influence.

The CHP said that it is not yet known if the Willits man who died was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Pergeau and Beckwith were both wearing their seat belts and were uninjured, the CHP said.

CHP Officer Chris Tuggle is investigating the crash.

This is the second crash involving a pedestrian in the county this month.

The previous incident, which occurred on Dec. 13 – also near Upper Lake – sent a Lucerne man to a regional trauma center with serious injuries, as Lake County News has reported.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Since 2012, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has experienced three “tsunami waves” in interstellar space.

The most recent, which reached the spacecraft earlier this year, is still propagating outward according to new data. It is the longest-lasting shock wave that researchers have seen in interstellar space.

“Most people would have thought the interstellar medium would have been smooth and quiet. But these shock waves seem to be more common than we thought,” said Don Gurnett, professor of physics at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Gurnett presented the new data Dec. 15 at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

A “tsunami wave” occurs when the sun emits a coronal mass ejection, throwing out a magnetic cloud of plasma from its surface. This generates a wave of pressure.

When the wave runs into the interstellar plasma – the charged particles found in the space between the stars – a shock wave results that perturbs the plasma.

“The tsunami causes the ionized gas that is out there to resonate – “sing” or vibrate like a bell,” said Ed Stone, project scientist for the Voyager mission based at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This is the third shock wave that Voyager 1 has experienced. The first event was in October to November of 2012, and the second wave in April to May of 2013 revealed an even higher plasma density.

Voyager 1 detected the most recent event in February, and it is still going on as of November data. The spacecraft has moved outward 250 million miles (400 million kilometers) during the third event.

“This remarkable event raises questions that will stimulate new studies of the nature of shocks in the interstellar medium,” said Leonard Burlaga, astrophysicist emeritus at NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who analyzed the magnetic field data that were key to these results.

It is unclear to researchers what the unusual longevity of this particular wave may mean. They are also uncertain as to how fast the wave is moving or how broad a region it covers.

The second tsunami wave helped researchers determine in 2013 that Voyager 1 had left the heliosphere, the bubble created by the solar wind encompassing the sun and the planets in our solar system. Denser plasma “rings” at a higher frequency, and the medium that Voyager flew through, was 40 times denser than what had been previously measured.

This was key to the conclusion that Voyager had entered a frontier where no spacecraft had gone before: interstellar space.

“The density of the plasma is higher the farther Voyager goes,” Stone said. “Is that because the interstellar medium is denser as Voyager moves away from the heliosphere, or is it from the shock wave itself? We don't know yet.”

Gurnett, principal investigator of the plasma wave instrument on Voyager, expects that such shock waves propagate far out into space, perhaps even to twice the distance between the sun and where the spacecraft is right now.

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, were launched 16 days apart in 1977. Both spacecraft flew by Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 2, launched before Voyager 1, is the longest continuously operated spacecraft and is expected to enter interstellar space in a few years.

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” – John Muir, “The Mountains of California”

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Southern Lake County's Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest is located seven miles northwest of Middletown, off of Highway 175.

Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest is 3,493 acres of awe-inspiring woods which was acquired by the state of California via a private landowner in 1949.

Just what is a “demonstration state forest”?

Demonstration forests are forests which are representative of the most common type of forests in California.

Our state has eight demonstration state forests, with more than 71,000 combined acres, including Jackson in Mendocino County, Ellen Pickett in Trinity County, Mount Zion in Amador County, Las Posadas in Napa County, Soquel in Santa Cruz County, LaTour in Shasta County and Mountain Home in Tulare County.

Like the rest of Lake County, Boggs Forest is considered to be a Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and warm, wet winters.

The temperature ranges from 100 degrees F (summers) down to 13 degrees F (winters) at Boggs, with an average annual rainfall of 71 inches, in typical years.

Due to Boggs' elevation of 3,720 feet, the forest can experience light snowfall several times a year.

When hiking any of Boggs Mountain's trails you will be surrounded by manzanita and chaparral when you start out, then climb into stunning mixed wooded forest of ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir and sugar pine.

Interspersed along the way you'll encounter various oaks, such as canyon live oak, black oak. Be sure to look for dogwood and madrone as well.

The geology of Boggs is considered to be complex in form, as it is assembled on a large lava cap with slopes and rock outcrops.

Evidence of rock which is volcanic in nature can be seen throughout the forest, with igneous rock such as andesite and basalt.

According to details in the report from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the sedimentary rock seen in the soils are sandstones and mudstones.

The forest is a popular spot year-round for not only hiking, but equestrian use as well as designated bicycling use.

For more information see the Friends of Boggs Mountain Web site at http://boggsmountain.net/calendar/hiking-events/ .

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Christmas week is winding down with some frosty weather, and the final week of the year – along with the first days of the new year – is expected to have even colder temperatures.

The National Weather Service on Friday issued a frost advisory for the hours of 4 to 9 a.m. Saturday, as Lake County News has reported.

But forecasters said even colder weather is expected midweek.

Around the county, the forecast calls for daytime temperatures Sunday through Friday ranging into the low 50s, with nighttime temperatures in the mid-20s.

There also is the chance of mild winds in the first half of the week, according to the forecast.

New Year's Day is forecast to be sunny, with a daytime high of 50 degrees and the nighttime temperature dropping into the high 20s, forecasters said.

The National Weather Services urged area residents to be sure to protect pets and sensitive plants from the cold, frosty weather.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With near-freezing temperatures in the forecast, the National Weather Service has issued a frost advisory for Lake County for the early morning hours on Saturday.

The frost advisory is in effect from 4 to 9 a.m. Saturday, according to the agency.

The forecast said that a combination of lighter winds and a cool airmass – along with mainly clear skies – will cause temperatures to drop to the lowest levels of the winter so far and lead to the first widespread frost of the season.

Forecasters are predicting that temperatures will dip into the low to mid-30s around Lake County.

The National Weather Service said ground frost will be possible by about 4 a.m. as eye-level temperatures drop into the mid-30s. Temperatures are expected to rise into the upper 30s by 9 a.m.

The frost advisory urges people to cover sensitive plants, which may be damaged or killed if left unprotected.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a unique variety of mostly working dogs – plus some smaller canines – available for adoption this week.

The dogs featured this week include mixes of blue heeler or cattle dog, boxer, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, hound, pit bull and retriever.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Female German Shepherd mix

This female German Shepherd mix has a short black and tan coat.

Staff said she's very sweet, knows some commands and is observant of her surroundings. She will make a very devoted pet in the right home, has no food guarding issues and would be a great companion dog.

She's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 1431.

Male German Shepherd

This male German Shepherd mix has a medium-length black and tan coat.

He's calm and collected, according to shelter staff, and gets along with both male and female dogs.

Based on staff evaluation, he would do great in a family with kids and has no signs of food aggression.

He's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 1407.

Male hound mix

This male hound mix has a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said he loves to run, knows some commands and would do fine with cats.

He has no issues with food guarding and gets along great with both male and female dogs, according to shelter staff, who said he would be great in an active family with children 7 years old and above.

He's in kennel No. 10, ID No. 1375.

Cattle dog mix

This young female cattle dog mix has a short black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 13, ID No. 1444.

Retriever-shepherd mix

This male retriever-shepherd mix has a short gold-colored coat.

He's in kennel No. 14, ID No. 1448.

Pit bull mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black coat.

She's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 1380.

Female Chihuahua mix

This female Chihuahua mix has a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said she's very sweet and great with kids, and loves to be held and hugged.

She would do fine in a home with cats, gets along great with male and female dogs, and would make someone a great lap dog.

She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 1398.

Female cattle dog

This young female cattle dog mix has a short black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 1427.

Australian Cattle Dog

This young male Australian Cattle Dog has a short black and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 29, ID No. 1445.

Male boxer mix

This male boxer mix has a short tan and white coat.

Shelter staff said he knows some commands, does not guard food and would do well in an active family with children over age 10. It's suggested that he shouldn't be in a home with cat.

He's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 1436.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – I always love seeing the deer when I go into the forests throughout this region.

The deer seen most often in this part of California the black-tail subspecies of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), most recognizable by their large independently-moving ears and black tails.

Recently, I came across a doe and her three youngsters on a walk, and took photos and video of them as mama washed the youngsters’ faces with her tongue.

The big males are strutting this time of year, too, following after females and challenging one another for dominance over their wintering grounds.

Mule deer breed between October and February, so we’re right in the middle of their season now.

Twin births are normal for black-tail mule deer, and triplets are not uncommon.

Does are generally excellent mothers, and will protect their fawns if they have to.

Deer would rather flee than fight, but when running isn’t an option, a mother deer will advance on intruders, rear up, and pound them with their front hooves to protect her offspring.

Once you spot the deer on your walk, it’s best take photos without intruding on the deer’s space if you can.

A simple 50x telephoto lens will actually let you get some really decent shots while also keeping you at a distance that is comfortable for the deer.

Taking video is always fun, too, especially when you’re filming yearlings and their mamas.

Fawns arrive after gestating for six or seven months. When the 6- to 8-pound fawns are born – and for the first week to 10 days of life – they have no scent, and that protects them from predators when the doe has to step away to find food.

By the way, don’t assume that a fawn sitting by itself in the forest has been “abandoned.” Unless it’s severely sick or injured, leave it where it is and don’t touch it. Its mother is no doubt just off for a few minutes foraging for food.

Those young deer who survive their first year can grow up to be about 150 to 280 pounds (depending on their gender), and can live up to about 10 years in the wild (although they can live much longer in captivity).

Does have to take in a lot of nutrients to feed themselves and produce milk for their young, and they do this by foraging for herbaceous plants and weeds, leaves, lichen, rose hips and berries such as blackberries.

They’ll even eat poison oak and California Buckeye leaves, and seem to have a sort of natural immunity to the toxins in them.

Grass is low in nutritional content, so they tend to ignore that unless there is no other food source readily available.

To communicate with her youngsters and other deer, the doe may use visual displays, scents and vocalizations.

Glands in different parts of the legs actually produce different kinds of scents.

Glands on the inside of the legs, for example, secrete a scent that helps the deer recognize one another as individuals, whereas other glands on the outside of the legs produce a heavier “alarm” or warning scent.

To show predators how strong and healthy they are, the deer will often flee while “stotting,” bounding through the forest with all four hooves bouncing off the ground at the same time.

Be careful when driving around dawn or dusk when deer are most active. That “deer in the headlights” reaction to the lights on your car is caused less by fear than by the fact that the deer’s pupils dilate in low-light so their vision is optimized.

When the light from your headlights glares into their eyes, they stand still because they’re temporarily blinded and are waiting for their eyes to adjust.

As David C. Yancy, a deer biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources noted, “They don’t know what to do, so they do nothing.”

We humans, however, do know what do: when driving in areas where you know deer are prevalent, slow down (especially around corners) and keep an eye out for them.

Both you and the deer will be happier for it.

Tuleyome Tales is a monthly publication of Tuleyome, a nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, Calif. For more information about Tuleyome go to www.tuleyome.org . Mary K. Hanson is an amateur naturalist and photographer and author of The Chubby Woman’s Walkabout blog.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – There is a new bakery in town, specializing in biscuits – dog biscuits, to be precise.

Tabetha Atwood has taken a hobby and turned it into something she loves, opening up Our Happy Tails Etc. Dog Bakery and Treats on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.

Her products include a list of easily recognizable ingredients and prices that can be appreciated.

She works side-by-side with her husband Charlie Atwood. While she attends to the baking, he is busy is leather working to offer hand-crafted collars and leashes. Custom bedding, clothing (for the owner or the dog), toys, seat belts and other items are available at the store.

“We are dog lovers, that's what really prompted us to do this. We just took a hobby and turned it into something we love,” Tabetha Atwood said. “We enjoy what we do and when you enjoy what you do you want to bring everyone in on it.”

The Atwoods strive to make pampering affordable for every pooch.

“Dog treats and pet supplies can be very expensive. Why pay high prices for something you can make yourself,” Tabetha Atwood said. “A lot of people around here don't have that kind of money and we believe every dog deserves to be spoiled.”

The venture began out of concern for contaminated dog food and treats.

She said she started baking treats for her own dogs and soon her friends wanted them for their dogs, too.

“We wanted something that was good for our dogs,” she said. “You can pronounce and spell everything on our labels: carrots, cheese, apple sauce … so you know what you are getting.”

Tabetha Atwood has created 89 veterinarian-approved recipes that can be customized to suit desired shape, color and flavor as well as allergen issues.

Treats are baked in a certified commercial kitchen as required by the license the baker obtained through the Food and Drug Administration.

“It's my understanding it's the first license issued in Lake County for this type of business,” she said, adding the license does not allow for the production of cat treats.

The couple is relatively new to the area and had reasons for opening shop in Clearlake.

Charlie Atwood said the had fond memories of visiting the area as a child, remembering it as a wonderful place to escape.

“I wanted to bring something back to Clearlake – the way it was – and I want my child to have a better life than I have,” he said.

“There are a bunch of new businesses popping up and we are just glad to be a part of that. It's great for the community,” Tabetha Atwood added.

Our Happy Tails Etc. Dog Bakery and Treats is located at 14458 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, telephone 707-701-6527.

Visit the bakery on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Our-Happy-Tails-Etc-Dog-Bakery-and-Treats/484439211686734 .

Email Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Where did our planet get its oceans?

Among planetary scientists, this is one of the most important and perplexing questions about the origins of Earth.

One popular theory holds that water was brought to Earth by the ancient impacts of comets and asteroids.

However, new data from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft indicate that terrestrial water did not come from comets like 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

The findings were published Dec. 10 in the journal Science.

Researchers agree that water must have been delivered to Earth by small bodies at a later stage of the planet’s evolution.

It is, however, not clear which family of small bodies is responsible.

There are three possibilities: asteroid-like small bodies from the region of Jupiter; Oort cloud comets formed inside of Neptune's orbit; and Kuiper Belt comets formed outside of Neptune's orbit.

The key to determining where the water originated is in its isotopic “flavor.” That is, by measuring the level of deuterium – a heavier form of hydrogen.

By comparing the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen in different objects, scientists can identify where in the solar system that object originated.

And by comparing the D/H ratio, in Earth’s oceans with that in other bodies, scientists can aim to identify the origin of our water.

The Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis (ROSINA) instrument has found that the composition of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko’s water vapor is significantly different from that found on Earth.

The value for the D/H ratio on the comet is more than three times the terrestrial value. This is among the highest-ever-measured values in the solar system. That means it is very unlikely that comets like 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko are responsible for the terrestrial water.

The D/H ratio is the ratio of a heavier hydrogen isotope, called deuterium, to the most common hydrogen isotope. It can provide a signature for comparison across different stages of a planet's history.

“We knew that Rosetta’s in situ analysis of this comet was always going to throw us surprises," said Matt Taylor, Rosetta’s project scientist from the European Space Research and Technology Center, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. “The bigger picture of solar-system science, and this outstanding observation, certainly fuel the debate as to where Earth got its water.”

Almost 30 years ago (1986) the mass spectrometers on board the European Giotto mission to comet Halley could, for the first time, determine D/H ratio in a comet. It turned out to be twice the terrestrial ratio.

The conclusion at that time was that Oort cloud comets, of which Halley is a member, cannot be the responsible reservoir for our water.

Several other Oort cloud comets were measured in the next 20 years, all displaying very similar D/H values compared to Halley.

Subsequently, models that had comets as the origin of the terrestrial water became less popular.

This changed when, thanks to the European Space Agency's Herschel spacecraft, the D/H ratio was determined in comet Hartley 2, which is believed to be a Kuiper Belt comet.

The D/H ratio found was very close to our terrestrial value – which was not really expected.

Most models on the early solar system claim that Kuiper Belt comets should have an even higher D/H ratio than Oort cloud comets because Kuiper Belt objects formed in a colder region than Oort cloud comets.

The new findings of the Rosetta mission make it more likely that Earth got its water from asteroid-like bodies closer to our orbit and/or that Earth could actually preserve at least some of its original water in minerals and at the poles.

“Our finding also disqualifies the idea that Jupiter family comets contain solely Earth ocean-like water,” said Kathrin Altwegg, principal investigator for the ROSINA instrument from the University of Bern, Switzerland, and lead author of the Science paper. “It supports models that include asteroids as the main delivery mechanism for Earth’s oceans.”

Comets are time capsules containing primitive material left over from the epoch when the sun and its planets formed.

Rosetta's lander obtained the first images taken from a comet's surface and will provide analysis of the comet's possible primordial composition.

Rosetta will be the first spacecraft to witness at close proximity how a comet changes as it is subjected to the increasing intensity of the sun's radiation.

Observations will help scientists learn more about the origin and evolution of our solar system and the role comets may have played in seeding Earth with water, and perhaps even life.

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

According to a new study sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, natural oceanic and atmospheric patterns are the primary drivers behind California's ongoing drought.

A high pressure ridge off the West Coast (typical of historic droughts) prevailed for three winters, blocking important wet season storms, with ocean surface temperature patterns making such a ridge much more likely.

Typically, the winter season in California provides the state with a majority of its annual snow and rainfall that replenish water supplies for communities and ecosystems.

Further studies on these oceanic conditions and their effect on California's climate may lead to advances in drought early warning that can help water managers and major industries better prepare for lengthy dry spells in the future.

“It's important to note that California's drought, while extreme, is not an uncommon occurrence for the state. In fact, multi-year droughts appear regularly in the state's climate record, and it's a safe bet that a similar event will happen again. Thus, preparedness is key,” said Richard Seager, report lead author and professor with Columbia University's Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory.

This report builds on earlier studies, published in September in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, which found no conclusive evidence linking human-caused climate change and the California drought.

The current study notes that the atmospheric ridge over the North Pacific, which has resulted in decreased rain and snowfall since 2011, is almost opposite to what models project to result from human-induced climate change.

The report illustrates that mid-winter precipitation is actually projected to increase due to human-induced climate change over most of the state, though warming temperatures may sap much of those benefits for water resources overall, while only spring precipitation is projected to decrease.

The report makes clear that to provide improved drought forecasts for California, scientists will need to fully understand the links between sea surface temperature variations and winter precipitation over the state, discover how these ocean variations are generated, and better characterize their predictability.

This report contributes to a growing field of science-climate attribution-where teams of scientists aim to identify the sources of observed climate and weather patterns.

“There is immense value in examining the causes of this drought from multiple scientific viewpoints,” said Marty Hoerling, report co-author and researcher with NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory. “It's paramount that we use our collective ability to provide communities and businesses with the environmental intelligence they need to make decisions concerning water resources, which are becoming increasingly strained.”

California Drought Report

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lake County resident is moving up into a leadership role for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

United States Coast Guard Commander Curtis Sumrok, director of the Auxiliary for District 11 North, announced the appointment of Rich Thomas of Hidden Valley Lake as district commodore.

District 11 North of the Auxiliary covers Utah and Nevada, and from Monterey to the Oregon border throughout Northern California.

The auxiliary came into existence in 1939 and was recognized by the United States Congress and each year funds are set-aside from Congress to operate this all volunteer organization that acts as the civil arm and force multiplier for the Coast Guard.

Auxiliary members throughout the country annually save several hundred lives, more than 12,000 boaters being assisted, provide more than 100,000 free vessel examinations for the public, offered safe boating classes to more than 100,000 boaters and gave hundreds of hours of augmentation in support of the Coast Guard missions during 2014.

Each year the auxiliary provides over 3.5 million hours of volunteer hours nationwide.

Thomas will oversee all auxiliary operations for District 11 North.

He has been a member of Lake County Flotilla 8-8 for 12 years.