Not much rain but plenty of water at California’s beaches!

“Is it dry enough for you?” That may be the buzz line when the World Ag Expo meets in Tulare, Feb. 14-16, 2012. The month of December went down in California as one of the driest on record and farmers are among those who are hoping for relief in the form of rain.

60 to 80 degree weather along the coast has sent tourists and locals to the beaches recently and though farmers are among the water experts who say we need rain, they advise that the current pattern California is experiencing weather-wise is not unusual for La Nina cycle years. La Nina typically means warmer, dryer weather across the southern part of the U.S. and often can result in wildfires and poor air quality. Since California ranks among the top 10 for poor air, that situation also threatens everything from health to school budgets when pollution forces closures.

Even though it is dry now, don’t put away your umbrellas, say experts. They cite last year’s rain patterns as a reason for hope. December 2010 and January 2011 were dry, but March was off the charts with rain. The best may be yet to come. But for tourists and some who don’t really follow water issues, the best is here–right now!