What’s driving the ‘weather whiplash’ that’s fueling the Los Angeles fires

Around the world, dramatic swings between heavy rain and drought are increasing exponentially, according to new research.

It’s supposed to be the rainy season in Southern California, but the last time Los Angeles measured more than a tenth-inch of rain was eight months ago, after the city logged one of the soggiest periods in its recorded history. Since then, bone-dry conditions have set the stage for the catastrophic wildfires now descending upon the metropolis from multiple directions.