Monday, April 20, live at ~7:45am PT on CBS LA Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social, @ucanr.edu climate scientist, will talk about El Nino with @caliweatherguy.bsky.social www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/

In case you missed it live, the recording is available below (as always!). There were some great questions from the audience yesterday (which is usually true, but I always like to highlight the participatory nature of these sessions!).

📊 National food security data is on the line. @npi.ucanr.edu @ucanr.edu submitted comments stressing the need to continue the Census household food security survey—critical for tracking hunger & informing policy. Losing it risks major data gaps. Learn more: bit.ly/4sDfPwM

The heat wave is deep, persistent & widespread. Those are “pretty significant indicators that this has both staying power and will have consequences for weeks or months or even seasons to come for Southern California,” @weatherwest.bsky.social @ucanr.edu told @hayleysmith.bsky.social

On Thursday, Apr 16 at noon PT, I'll have a "lunch hour" livestream to discuss the already prolonged & severe marine heatwave affecting Pacific ocean near California. Also: are upcoming April showers connected to a West Pacific supertyphoon?

UCLA found the genes that help oak trees thrive in hotter weather. By planting acorns from these heat-adapted trees, they're building climate-resistant forests, say the researchers from UCLA & The Nature Conservancy @uclaupdates @nature.org newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ada...

“Those fires in 2020 and 2021 were a game changer,” Kristen Shive @ucanr.edu & @natureatcal.bsky.social told @paulrogerssjm.bsky.social @mercurynews.com. “We had thousands of acres of high-severity fire. It was a shocking change and a hard one." www.mercurynews.com/2026/04/13/w...

Glad to see that the Sacramento Bee is advertising a cool new newsroom meteorologist position! Frankly, I think every major regional/national newspaper needs in-house expertise like this. Role requires degree in meteorology/atm science (as it should!)

En Butte County, ganaderos, investigadores y líderes comunitarios se reunieron con UC ANR y Chico State para conversar sobre el impacto económico y emocional que la presencia de los lobos protegidos tiene en sus operaciones. #UCANR #LoboGris #Ganadería #California ucanr.edu/blog/blog-de...

A new study explores the reliability & validity of the Site-Level Assessment Questionnaire–SLAQ–used to assess nutrition and physical activity practices in childcare settings. SLAQ results can help childcare programs create health-promoting environments. bit.ly/4dvCt6B

A rainbow appears above the hills north of Willow Pass Road in Concord, Calif., on Sunday, April 12, 2026. #rainbow #cawx #weather #photography #bayarea #nikon #photojournalism

Raining here, but sunny on the other side of the hill 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ranching with wolves. Ranchers and community members gathered to watch PBS documentary “American Grown: My Job Depends on Ag - Sierra Valley Wolves" and discuss wolf management ucanr.edu/blog/food-bl...

This is bad, folks. We won't have the data we need to help prevent future fire without a strong forest research program and the @forestservice.bsky.social is key to that. www.ktvu.com/news/us-fore...

I've have a short-notice pop-up livestream today at 2:30pm PT to discuss the outbreak of unusually widespread thunderstorms across Northern California this PM, including the potential for a few supercells/severe storms containing hail & isolated tornado.

The media have focused on disproportionate oil impact in parts of the world that "get their oil through the Strait of Hormuz". Thank you FT for highlighting efficient global arbitrage in crude. There are logistical frictions, and also people whose job is to overcome them. www.ft.com/content/c749...

Today was already quite active in NorCal, w/several severe thunderstorms & at least one photogenic supercell. Fri & Sat will be even more unusual, w/widespread t-storms & likely at least a few severe ones. I may have a pop-up livestream, time TBD, on Fri or Sat for a radar tour!

Dogs with jobs! Pups go on pest patrol as rodenticides are phased out See story by @cchamplin.bsky.social ucanr.edu/blog/green-b...

Bay Area to see rain, potential thunderstorms, lightning & hail, reports @climatedaddykqed.bsky.social “We will continue to see snow melt over the next 3 days before potentially seeing some snow accumulation later on Saturday into Sunday,” said @weatherwest.bsky.social www.kqed.org/science/2000...

In case you missed the livestream yesterday, the recording is available via the link below! The next few days look very active by CA April standards. I also discussed my growing concerns regarding the immediate near-term risk to American science continuity.

The main impact [of low snowpack] this year might be with respect to fire conditions, particularly in the mountain areas,” said Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social @ucanrwater.bsky.social @ucanr.edu @chelseaeharvey.bsky.social reports

What if you could grow fresh food? No soil, no yard, just a balcony? UC Master Gardeners of Orange County are making it happen with a hands-on hydroponics program, earning 1st place in the 2026 Search for Excellence. #volunteermonth bit.ly/4cvgonA

TODAY 2pm Join Daniel Swain to discuss weather in the West - potential thunderstorms ⛈️

Pretty interesting discussion from @weatherwest.bsky.social about potential recurving typhoon that could impact California weather in ~2 weeks time. The Google AI model has a Category 3 typhoon next week in the western Pacific. It'll probably get absorbed into the westerlies before reaching Japan.

Another significant weather pattern shift is imminent in California and perhaps also across broader portions of the American West. Despite return of strong ridging & record warmth over the weekend, this setup is more transient and will soon be replaced by unsettled conditions.

Dr. Cluck's Backyard Chickens — out now! Written by a chicken who also happens to be a poultry veterinarian. Science-based. Jargon-free. Keep your flock healthy and happy. Your chickens will thank you! #UCANR #BackyardChickens

After a 63-year career, trailblazing #UCANR nutrition advisor Mary Blackburn continues to shape public health. From the Civil Rights era to today, her impact spans generations, uplifting underserved communities across California. #UCANR #PublicHealth ucanr.edu/blog/food-bl...

I'll host a live office hour on Wed, Apr 8 at 2pm PT to discuss imminent shift to a more unsettled weather pattern across CA & the West, including potential for widespread thunderstorm activity & beneficial precip. Also: I'll offer another federal update.

The March heat wave set off extreme alarm bells for @weatherwest.bsky.social @ucanr.edu. “This was probably the most statistically and meteorologically extreme heat event that has occurred in the Southwestern U.S.,” he said. @sfgate.com www.sfgate.com/bayarea/arti...

Wolf attacks on cattle in NE California over 7 months last year reached $2.6m, @ucanr.edu research found. That includes the loss of livestock and wolf deterrents, reports @lilaseidman.bsky.social

Consumers may not see food prices rise right away. Many California farmers have bought fertilizer for the year & locked in contract prices for their crops, Dan Sumner @gianninifnd.bsky.social @ucdavisare.bsky.social tells @alexis-madrigal.bsky.social

Our researchers are seeking community input on a new approach to managing the Asian citrus psyllid—the insect spreading huanglongbing. Join a focus group: Alameda – Apr 6, 2 PM Fresno – Apr 8, 2 PM Register: forms.gle/dKHwgqihmzHE... ucanr.edu/blog/food-bl... #citrus

Join me and @gregspierce.bsky.social on May 8 as we host a timely virtual event featuring an all-star panel of experts digging into the water+climate conditions and decision-making processes affecting 40 million people in the American West. This will be an informative, eye-opening morning!

NEW: For more than 30 years he's chronicled California. Day in, day out. One paragraph at a time. Jack Kavanagh's website, Rough & Tumble, has a worldwide audience despite — or perhaps because of — its lack of flash, commentary and snark. www.latimes.com/politics/sto...

“If we want climate progress in energy, transportation and agriculture, we need progress in pop culture, media and sports,” writes @sammyroth.bsky.social. Good discussion about climate & culture & science communication

The White House proposes a 19% cut to the USDA budget for the upcoming fiscal year, with increased spending for the agency’s reorganization efforts.

The U.S. Forest Service is closing 57 of its 77 research facilities in 31 states under a reorganization plan announced this week, threatening science that looked at how wildfires, drought, pests and global warming are putting pressure on forests.

Friends in Riverside County, stay safe from the Spring Fire 🔥

Recess isn’t just play; it can help get kids to school. New research from @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social, co-authored by Hannah Thompson of @npi.ucanr.edu found schools with structured, supervised recess saw lower chronic absenteeism, especially among Latino students. www.axios.com/local/san-di...

Most grads head to big cities—but some UC Berkeley alumni are choosing rural communities, where their impact can be immediate, visible and deeply personal. news.berkeley.edu/2026/03/26/f...

Already starting to see open flowers in Sunpreme, an early raisin variety, in Parlier (Fresno County, California). In years past this variety bloomed in late April/early May. #viticulture #climate

Benefits to pistachios emerging as a major California nut crop? They are more tolerant to drought and water salinity compared to walnuts and almonds, and they are consistently a high value crop, @water-prof-jma.bsky.social told @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Most of the snow in California’s Sierra Nevada has melted after a record-breaking heat wave. “Climate change is influencing California’s water system quickly and severely.” @petergleick.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...

“I think everyone’s anticipating that it will be a long, busy fire season,” @lenyaqd.bsky.social, @ucanrfirenetwork.bsky.social director, told @ra-becks.bsky.social “Without a snowpack, and with an early spring, it just means that there’s much more time for something like that to happen.”

Well, I do have some good news to report: yesterday's weather system "overperformed" somewhat in NorCal! Convective activity and even some stronger thunderstorms developed in the unusually warm/moist/unstable airmass, bringing some more widespread downpours than expected.

#Citrus trees can be protected from Asian citrus psyllid with bioengineering; the University of CA is conducting focus groups to see what consumers think. Learn more--and hear about upcoming webinars, events and grants--in our April newsletter. icont.ac/51fW9

Spring has arrived! 🌱 Along with warmer weather and blooming flowers, you may have also noticed more insects and spiders roaming your home. If these unwanted houseguests have you thinking about clearing up some clutter, tune into our next webinar on April 16, 2026: ucanr.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

In case you missed this yesterday, the recording is available below!

“The March snowpack is doing something that it really hasn’t done before on a widespread basis, to my knowledge, ever in recorded history, which is plummet,” said @ucanr.edu climate scientist Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social. @andreatweather.bsky.social reports

Read more in this @axios.com San Diego interview with Hannah Thompson: www.axios.com/local/san-di...