The yellow areas on the Jan. 7, 2014 drought map (National Drought Mitigation Center https://drought.unl.edu/) indicate abnormally dry; the tan areas are moderately dry; the orange areas mark severe drought; the red indicates extreme drought; and the dark brown spots are exceptional drought.

Okay"?(R)?a bazillion degrees below zero in the Midwest and East, and 122 degrees in northwestern Australia to start off the new year.

While car tires were freezing to the ground in Chicago, out here in Southern California we've had mid-70s to low 80s temps, pleasant blue-sky weather that we're enjoying and expect. The beautiful weather, of course, is one of the big reasons so many folks settle here.

But all those beautiful sunny days have certain consequences. California is said to be facing what could be its worst drought in four decades. Basically, 90 percent of the Golden State is experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions. 2013 was the state's driest year on record. And so far this "winter" (winter has been like a mild summer), the snows aren't falling in the Sierras. The AP reported that if the current drought holds, California's water managers will only be able to deliver five percent of the water needed for more than 25 million Californians (state population is 37 million), and nearly a million acres of farmland.

The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) creates detailed maps to show just how thirsty our landscapes are in California and across the nation. For big sections of the country, drought doesn't exist, but the Jan. 7, 2014 map from the NDMC reveals how the rest of the nation is fairing.

Brad Rippey, meteorologist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of the Chief Economist, has the latest numbers: Of California's 154 intrastate reservoirs, which were "collectively brimming with water (125 percent of average storage) on Nov. 30, 2011, storage fell to 97 percent on Nov. 30, 2012, and 74 percent on Nov. 30, 2013.

As for the nation at large, Rippey reports "33.22 percent of the contiguous 48 states are in drought, up from 30.95 percent a week earlier, and up from 30.28 percent on Dec. 10, which was the least area in drought for any week of 2013, and the smallest drought coverage since Dec. 27, 2011."

Rippey noted that most of the recent increase in U.S. drought coverage is from the lack of cold-season precipitation in the West. Drought coverage sharply increased in Oregon from 38 to 88 percent from Dec. 10 to Jan. 7. Washington state was not in a drought as of Dec. 10, 2013, but 55 percent of the state was experiencing drought as of Jan. 7, 2014.