Feds: Global warming not responsible for California drought

Central California in 2009

Wow, a federal agency looked into the causes of the drought in California and it found--surprise--that global warming has nothing to do with it.

From NBC 7 San Diego:

Don't blame man-made global warming for the devastating California drought, a new federal report says.

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.

Study lead author Richard Seager of Columbia University said the paper has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. He and NOAA's Martin Hoerling said 160 runs of computer models show heat-trapping gases should slightly increase winter rain in parts of California, not decrease.