Take a swim, throw away the wetsuit. The ocean off of California is warmer than it's been in 30 years, which means that more drought may be on its way, too.
Oceanographers are marvelling at warm ocean temperatures throughout the Pacific from Baja California to the Gulf of Alaska, according to reports.
The San Jose Mercury News notes that the water is "5 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit warmer" than normal. And "on a sunny day," the normally-frigid waters off of coastal beaches are "swimmable."
Also notable is the "onslaught" of "outsider species" the warmer waters are attracting, the newspaper reported. Sea turtles that normally hang out near the Galapagos have been spotted near San Francisco.
The same high-pressure ridge that's kept storms away from the Sierra, where snowpack normally fills reservoirs with drinking water, is keeping the oceans warm, according to the Washington Post.
The ridge is in place just as it's been the last few winters. This may mean that the winter is going to be dry as a bone – again.
