Spring comes early to California, but drought is likely to continue and will impact food prices where you live

If you live in California, you may have noticed a bit more rain has fallen versus last year. While the state remains mired in drought, and that drought is expected to persist, a weak El Nino has developed and may be contributing to some of the added rainfall. It's better news for the state where water shortages have become so acute that community wells have gone dry.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - California has enjoyed a little more rain this year than it has last year, but drought conditions remain. Rain did not fall across much of the state in January 2014, but a little did in this year. A recent string of storms has also dropped rain and even hail across much of California.

It is unclear why the added rain has come but some scientists suspect a weak El Nino in the Pacific is responsible.

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An El Nino is declared when surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific rise significantly above average. Those warmer temperatures result in more evaporation forming more clouds, more storms, and this leads to increased rainfall for California and much of the Southwestern states. It can even impact weather as far away as New England.

In 2014, a powerful El Nino was anticipated when early results showed a massive upwelling of warm water in the Pacific. However, the El Nino did not develop, disappointing many in California who were hoping the phenomenon would break the state's drought.

Now a new El Nino appears to be forming. Japan declared a weak El Nino had formed in December 2014.

Despite the weak El Nino, California would need several years of above-average rainfall to replenish its water supplies. Although there has been more rainfall in 2015 than in 2014, the amount is still well below normal.

The drought, now into its fourth year, has significant impacts on the population and across the nation. California is a major agricultural center, especially fruits and nuts. Many of the fields in California's San Joaquin Valley are fallow since farmers were unsure if there would be enough water to supply their crops. Indeed, the Obama administration has cut federal water allotments to central valley farmers to zero this year.

But Obama cannot make it rain. Without water, millions of farm workers are unemployed and relocating to other regions of the country. Food prices have increased as produce becomes scarce.

Many communities, generally poor ones served by shallow wells, have run out of water as the water table is sucked below the depth of their pipes. Wealthier communities are consuming water stored deep underground for centuries, drawing on a dwindling reserve supply. The lack of water has resulted in a spate of laws regulating water usage. In some places, it is illegal to water the lawn. Many residents have responded with alternative lawn arrangements such as drought-resistant plants, gravel, and even Astroturf.

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Mountain communities have also been impacted by the lack of snow. Ski resorts remain closed or are open for shorter stretches because the snow just isn't there. California relies on summer snow melt to refill reservoirs. These same reservoirs also attract vacationers and sportsmen, but not so many this year.

The primary reason why California is suffering so much appears to be a dominant ridge of high pressure off the west coast and known as the "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge" (RRR). This ridge of high pressure has formed every year since 2013 and has deflected storms from California.

This year however, things have changed a little. The ridge has shifted east a little which is allowing some rainfall to make its way into California, provided it comes in with a powerful storm system.

Spring has sprung in California and the trees are full of blossoms. Many Californians are happy with the early warmth and have taken to the outdoors in the unusually warm weather. However, few are looking forward to the hot, dry summer that this early warmth portends and hope remains high that weather patterns will continue to develop in a way that brings water, jobs and relief back to parched California.

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