Yes. We had droughts in the 1970s and 1980s too. But, we didn't have the kinds of Droughts that Started around 2000 in the Rocky mountains Colorado River Basin where the drought was all the way to southern California lasted basically almost 20 years now. Droughts lasted 1 to 5 years on average instead. Also, temperatures were colder year around in the Sierras so snow pack could stay and do some good in the state by holding back water in snow form until we really needed it in August to November or December depending upon the year.
The last year I remember it snowed 12 feet of snow in Mt. Shasta city was 1992 which will be 30 years ago in 2022. The last time I remember skiing on 40 feet of snow on Mt. Shasta the mountain likely was the same year it snowed 12 feet in town and roofs were collapsing too there.
However, I skied many years between 1976 and 1992 on 25 feet or more of snow which I don't remember doing much since the early 2000s ever again. another change Castle lake on 2 or three winters at 6000 feet never froze over at all. In fact I remember climbing up recently to Hart lake at around 7000 feet and even it wasn't completely frozen over too.
From 1953the first time I visited Castle lake when I was 5 to about 2010 or 2012 Castle lake not freezing over where you could ice fish in it or ski across it was basically unheard of.
So, the biggest change I notice in California is droughts that go on forever in Southern California to where most places look like you live in the desert except where water is either piped in from the Colorado river or from northern California or is desalinated like it is often done in Santa Barbara California from the ocean.
So, the net effect is ALL of southern California is slowly turning into a desert while snow pack in southern California melts off sooner and sooner and snow pack in Northern California does the same.
This changes life a lot for all Californians in various ways over time.
Also, it was 73 where I live today in Northern California on the coast and it was 94 in San Diego area today too which is pretty early for 94 degrees Fahrenheit by the way.
Note: a day later or so Tuesday April 10th 2018. I just looked at the temperature in Palm Springs in April and it is 100 degrees Fahrenheit presently at 4 pm. So, this is early for temperatures this high too historically. You don't really expect temperatures even there this high until June or so ordinarily. Yes. A Fluke can always happen anywhere but a 100 now could mean a 130 degree temperature in August or September which isn't really good for anyone.
I have been for 24 hours in over 120 degrees without an air conditioner and luckily I was only 25 doing mining assaying work there. When I thought I was going to pass out I walked over to a windmill that brought water up for the desert animals there that smelled like Sulphur and dipped my t-shirt in it and rode my dual sport motorcycle down a dry wash there in Gila Bend Arizona in the 1970s to cool down from the evaporation from my t-shirt in the dry desert air. This was the only way I knew how during the heat of the day not to just pass out there without air conditioning out in the wilds at the time. This is not an experience I ever want to redo by the way.
However, more and more people around the world are having this experience every year now because of global warming and now every year thousands of them are dying that are too poor for air conditioning or buying ice to put on their wrists or the backs of their necks so they can live through this without frying their brains and dying.
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