I find it very strange that there are little or no weather systems from tip of South America to most of North America. If you look at the sat pic there is a small low pressure system between So. Cal and Hawaii that is traveling east to west for the past few days. It just seems strange.
Th extended drought in the western U.S. is unusual but not unprecedented. IMHO it has now exceeded 1986-87 and is closing in on 1980-81. 1976-77 remains in a class by itself.
With regard to South America, there was a fire in Torres del Paine, where I spent 5 days in November. It broke out Dec. 27, the entire park was closed for a week and parts may still be. http://www.demotix.com/news/990084/torr ... burn-chile
