Rain and snowfall over the past few days has made a significant dent in the water deficit around the Bay Area and California; even though it is only about a quarter of the way through the rainfall season. In the San Francisco Bay Area, rainfall-to-date ranges from about 72% of normal in Santa Rosa to 91% in San Francisco, 119% in San Jose and 124% in Oakland. Rain expected during the upcoming week will be more focused, at least initially, north of the Golden Gate and Santa Rosa should see their deficit drastically reduced.
Elsewhere around the state, the extreme northern quarter of the state is below normal with percent of normal (PON) rainfall at Redding, Crescent City and Eureka at 41%, 54% and 61% respectively. The remainder of Central valley is near or above normal, ranging from 145% at Sacramento to 94% in Bakersfield. The central and south coastal areas are well above normal with season to date percentages ranging from 109% in Salinas, 216% in Santa Barbara, 189% for Los Angeles and 100% at San Diego.
Snowfall from the past week is still be tabulated, but precipitation totals for both the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River drainages has nearly doubled since the first of December. This good news for both water officials and ski resorts heading into the holidays.
Snow will taper off in the Sierra Nevada overnight as skies begin to clear from the west. In Northwest California the clearing will be short-lived as the leading edge of the next weather system arrives by midday Monday. Rain, some of it in the moderate to heavy category, will very slowly spread over far northern California Monday night, then south to about the Golden Gate by Tuesday afternoon. Lighter rain will spread slowly to about a Monterey-Yosemite line by early Wednesday with snow in the Sierra Nevada above 6000'.
Jan Null, CCM
SF Weather Examiner
jnull@ggweather.com
For more Information:
Bay Area Rainfall Summary
California Rainfall Summary
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