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California’s annual rainy season is getting underway about 27 days later now than it did in the 1960s, according to new research. Instead of starting in November, the onset of the rains is now delayed until December, and the rain, when it comes, is being concentrated during January and February.
“The onset of the rainy season has been progressively delayed since the 1960s, and as a result the precipitation season has become shorter and sharper in California,” said Jelena Lukovic, the lead author of the study. Lukovic is a climate scientist at the University of Belgrade in Serbia.
Less rain is falling in the so-called shoulder seasons of autumn and spring, and more is falling during the core winter months.
It came as ministers announced a £104.3 million package of support for tourism and hospitality businesses.
Mainland Scotland will be put under level-4 restrictions from Boxing Day for at least three weeks after the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus, with restaurants, pubs and non-essential shops forced to close.
The latest funding, which includes £19.2m in one-off grants for hospitality businesses, is part of the short-term response and follows lengthy discussions with industry to target support.
But trade unions have warned that any aid should be conditional on the treatment of workers.
An STUC spokeswoman said: “As Scotland moves into level-4 restrictions on Boxing Day, we must ensure that workers are protected from any financial fallout.