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A report issued Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said natural variations — mostly a La Nina weather oscillation — were the primary drivers behind the drought that has now stretched to three years.
A new study that counted tree rings shows California's drought is the worst in 1,200 years. While offering historical perspective, one interpretation says it will take more than one year's rainfall to repair the damage done.
This week's storms have pushed the Bay Area well ahead of normal rainfall pace for this time of year and that trend will continue as we approach Christmas, according to national climate forecasts.
Heavy downpours took a parting shot Thursday at California, triggering flash floods that temporarily stranded more than three dozen people in their cars in inland Riverside County.
With all the rain we've been having, one would think it would be good thing for the imperiled salmon population. It would be if all that new fresh water wasn't so confusing. The salmon keep getting lost. Instead of migrating to their spawning ground, they wind up swimming up a ditch and ultimately into a death trap.
Weather watchers will be quick to tell you that we are not on pace to bust our three-year drought and that we need to keep conserving, but let's take a moment and at least embrace the fact that this week's stormy weather has bushed us in the right direction.
For months we've been waiting for "real rain" to help ease our statewide drought. This week we finally got it, lots of it. Numbers from 8 a.m. Tuesday to 8 a.m. Wednesday reveal more than an inch of rain just about everywhere in the Bay Area, and closer to four inches in the wettest locations.
If you want to see the waterfalls of Yosemite National Park at full force without braving the late spring crowds, now might be the best time.
State officials say three years of drought are taking a heavy toll on California's groundwater supplies.
Heavy rain brought down a tree, smashing a car in San Francisco Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday is on track to become the wettest day San Francisco has seen in five years.
Most of the Bay Area has already received an inch of much-needed rainfall over the past three days. We will likely double our rain totals, as the strongest storm we will see this week moves closer to Northern California.
Despite a wet weekend, the East Bay Municipal Utility District said they still need more water. The district is looking at buying billions of gallons from the government, but customers would pay a steep price.
Environmentalists in Marin County say a centuries-old species of Coho salmon is facing outright extinction due to the current drought.
Rain, fog and wind gusts triggered hours of flight delays at San Francisco's airport on a busy post-Thanksgiving Sunday, while Sierra Nevada ski resorts enjoyed a few inches of snow.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the San Francisco Bay Area Sunday morning.
Dense fog Friday clung to the Bay Area Friday, but that was expected to quickly give way to rain late in the day, ushering in days of wet weather and inches or rain for the drought-plagued region.
As California's drought lingers on and reservoirs dry up, small planes are trying to coax the water to come down.
Two major Tahoe ski resorts opened Friday thanks to both natural and man-made snow, with a third resort expected to open before Thanksgiving.
The second in a triple header of weak storms to hit the Bay Area may hit harder than the first, bringing rain and even lightning and thunder to the region by Thursday afternoon.
We could see over an inch of rain in parts of the Bay Area over the next five days in what is forecast to be the first sustained run of wet weather this season.
California's chronic drought is causing hardships on the coast south of San Francisco for property owners who ordinarily get their water from creeks and wells that have gone dry after four years of scant rainfall.
California's pre-1914 water rights are not regulated. Even in drought years, whoever claimed the water first, gets it.
Macklin Celebrini had two goals and an assist to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Beginning early Saturday morning and ending, hopefully, before midnight, Anderson was walking a 50-mile circuit of his own design through the entire city of San Francisco.
According to AAA, the average price for regular unleaded gasoline in San Francisco was $5.66 a gallon as of Saturday.
Six U.S. service members who were killed in a military refueling aircraft crash over Iraq last week have been identified as members of the Ohio Air National Guard and Florida-based crew members.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News Saturday, Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr doubled down on his warning that broadcast licenses could be revoked amid President Trump's criticisms of media coverage of the war in Iran.
Macklin Celebrini had two goals and an assist to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Beginning early Saturday morning and ending, hopefully, before midnight, Anderson was walking a 50-mile circuit of his own design through the entire city of San Francisco.
According to AAA, the average price for regular unleaded gasoline in San Francisco was $5.66 a gallon as of Saturday.
Six U.S. service members who were killed in a military refueling aircraft crash over Iraq last week have been identified as members of the Ohio Air National Guard and Florida-based crew members.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News Saturday, Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr doubled down on his warning that broadcast licenses could be revoked amid President Trump's criticisms of media coverage of the war in Iran.
Beginning early Saturday morning and ending, hopefully, before midnight, Anderson was walking a 50-mile circuit of his own design through the entire city of San Francisco.
According to AAA, the average price for regular unleaded gasoline in San Francisco was $5.66 a gallon as of Saturday.
They had been trying to get the city to rescind the deal and get their money back with no luck. Then she heard from a potential buyer.
The dumpsters will arrive on Friday nights at 6 p.m. and get picked up by 6 a.m. Saturday.
A fifth grader from San Francisco is representing the Bay Area on a global stage on Friday.
Speed cameras in Oakland have issued more than 140,000 warnings to drivers in less than two months, according to data released by city officials.
The Dublin Unified School District and the Dublin Teachers Association reached a tentative agreement late Thursday night on a new labor contract, bringing an end to the teacher strike that began earlier this week.
Authorities in the East Bay have launched a homicide investigation after a woman died following a stabbing in Bay Point on Wednesday.
After winning two gold medals at the Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu received a hero's welcome at a hometown celebration in Oakland.
A fire burned on Wednesday morning at a metals recycling plant in West Oakland with a history of fires and environmental violations.
Police said the fatal hit-and-run happened near West Hedding Street and Coleman Avenue, just before 2:30 a.m.
A pedestrian walking on Interstate Highway 280 in San Jose was struck and killed Thursday evening, the California Highway Patrol said.
Two people have died following a shooting in San Jose near downtown late Thursday night, police said.
A 10-year-old child was detained after a 7-year-old was stabbed at an elementary school in Mountain View, authorities said.
Across San Jose, nearly 474 automated license plate reader cameras scan passing vehicles every day, capturing plate numbers, vehicle descriptions, and location.
The district finalized some tough cuts this month, closing six schools, laying off more than 100 staff members and slashing programs. Now, those cuts are being felt at schools and teachers and parents at Montgomery High are fighting back.
A Santa Rosa police officer shot a person during a struggle near the city's downtown area on Thursday, police said.
Police in Vallejo have launched a homicide investigation after a man was found fatally shot near police department headquarters earlier this week.
Planned on state-owned land near the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, the development includes 135 workforce apartments for educators, school staff, and county employees.
Temperatures throughout the Bay Area will begin to climb on Wednesday and possibly be 20 to 30 degrees higher than seasonal averages by the weekend.
Macklin Celebrini had two goals and an assist to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Anthony Edwards scored 42 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the injury-plagued Golden State Warriors 127-117 on Friday night.
The San Francisco 49ers have signed free agent linebacker Dre Greenlaw, welcoming back an impact player and fan favorite whose absence was felt on the defensive squad.
The San Jose Sharks beat the Boston Bruins 4-2 on Thursday night.
After winning two gold medals at the Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu received a hero's welcome at a hometown celebration in Oakland.
Police said the fatal hit-and-run happened near West Hedding Street and Coleman Avenue, just before 2:30 a.m.
Two people have died following a shooting in San Jose near downtown late Thursday night, police said.
Speed cameras in Oakland have issued more than 140,000 warnings to drivers in less than two months, according to data released by city officials.
San Francisco police said they are investigating a stabbing that left one person injured Thursday night in SoMa.
A 10-year-old child was detained after a 7-year-old was stabbed at an elementary school in Mountain View, authorities said.
A Bay Area gender gap in the tech industry threatens the full participation of women in the future of artificial intelligence.
Across San Jose, nearly 474 automated license plate reader cameras scan passing vehicles every day, capturing plate numbers, vehicle descriptions, and location.
The Oakley City Council on Tuesday voted to approve a controversial industrial development near the shoreline following a public meeting where residents on both sides of the issue voiced their concerns.
Artificial intelligence can give some workers "brain fry" if overused, according to a new study published in Harvard Business Review.
The Valley Christian High School team, called Wildfire Quest, in San Jose, is a finalist in the $11 million global XPRIZE Foundation Wildfire competition, competing against the top AI and defense innovators.
He advises people to lie down, extend their arms, and hold the phones above their heads, or people should hold their phone at eye level, rather than looking down.
Food containing norovirus may smell and taste normal but still cause serious illness if consumed, FDA warns.
The city said there was no evidence of community-spread or of an outbreak, and that the health advisory was issued to give health care providers guidance.
Tests of dozens of baby formulas by Consumer Reports found that nearly half contained potentially dangerous chemicals.
A trial has been set in the San Francisco Bay Area for a Florida woman accused of providing a cosmetic injection that killed a woman who was known as a Kim Kardashian lookalike, prosecutors said.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News Saturday, Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr doubled down on his warning that broadcast licenses could be revoked amid President Trump's criticisms of media coverage of the war in Iran.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr did not name specific networks, but his post included a reference to a Saturday morning Truth Social post from the president.
TSA officers faced their first full missed paycheck Friday.
Many essential workers at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security continue to work without pay, raising concerns not only about airport security but also about maritime safety on the San Francisco Bay.
A federal judge has quashed a pair of grand jury subpoenas sent to the Federal Reserve Board as part of a criminal probe by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office.
A man has been arrested and accused of a hate crime after a San Francisco church was vandalized over the weekend, police said.
A Yosemite park ranger was fired last year after helping to display a transgender pride flag from El Capitan.
After more than two years of renovations, the historic Castro Theatre is back open for business.
A large Pride flag has been removed from the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village. The National Park Service said it did so under guidance from the federal government.
The billionaire and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $45 million to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and advocacy for LGBTQ young people.
A Bay Area filmmaker with a personal life-and-death story to tell is among the artists featured at the 35th annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival.
A woman was arrested on Sunday for firing multiple shots at the Beverly Hills home of Rihanna, Los Angeles Police Department officials say.
The Chinese New Year Parade took place Saturday in San Francisco and was free to attend for the public.
Friday, March 6, marks 100 years since the historic location opened its doors, but they'll be celebrating a little early with free movies on Wednesday.
Along with the "True Lies" co-stars, the California Hall of Fame's new inductees will include Olympians Carl Lewis and Janet Evans and Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oakland Unified School District has seen an alarming spike in the number of unhoused students in the school system who deal with a host of challenges far beyond what most children face.
Meteorologist and CBS News Bay Area's resident pilot Lt. Jessica Burch got a treat during Fleet Week, taking to the skies with one of the Blue Angels.
A Bay Area man discovered his devastating loss left him with a new opportunity to rethink how he lives -- follow his journey in virtual reality, 360-degree video.
A groundbreaking medical study involving the UCSF Medical Center has shown some colorectal cancer patients can safely skip radiation treatment and enjoy a potentially higher quality of life.
Every day, San Francisco bar pilot Captain Zach Kellerman goes through what might just be the world's most dangerous commute.
For years, San Francisco has talked about wanting to make the streets safer for pedestrians. But some recent tragedies have put one man on a personal mission to do that.
Here's a look at the weather forecast Saturday evening.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright invoked the Defense Production Act to restore the Sable Offshore Corp.'s Santa Ynez unit and pipeline off Santa Barbara's coastline.
Here's what you need to know for this weekend's Cinequest Film Festival.
with Zoe Mintz.
In 2025, KPIX is moving to a new community service award: the CBS News Bay Area Icon Award. Submit nominations for an outstanding community hero at kpix.com/icon.
It's the most wonderful time of the year for a South Bay woman who has played Mrs. Claus for more than 40 years for the children of North San Jose's Alviso District.
For residents of the Oakland Hills, the prospect of another wildfire always remains a concern. This week's Jefferson Awards winner has made it his mission to make the hills and other high-risk areas safer.
In East Palo Alto -- where state education numbers show more than nine in ten public school students are low income and more than half are English learners -- many are finding hope and connection at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula.
This week's Jefferson Award winner is Army veteran who continues to live a life of service into his 80s, by feeding hundreds of San Francisco families a week.
A Bay Area man who overcame tremendous obstacles to excel in school has made it his mission to gear up other students for success in the classroom and in life.
For Students Rising Above scholar Josh Collins it took moving across the country to realize the value of his Bay Area family.
Samir Hooker had to grow up fast after his stepfather was shot dead 12 years ago. Now he is watching over his mom and sister while attending UC Berkeley.
It's hard enough to graduate from one of the most prestigious schools in the country when you're the first in your family to go to college. Imagine doing that while you're also trying to protect your parents from being deported?
Some students who are the first in their families to go to college face the challenge of balancing a rigorous academic load while still working to help support their family back home.