Sac Rainfall Measures Slightly Up From Last Year

Sacramento saw slightly higher rainfall numbers from the previous year, but not enough to be at "normal" levels, according to the data recently released by the National Weather Service.

The area saw a “below normal water year,” said Stefanie Henry, meteorologist with the weather service in Sacramento.   

The extra bit of Sacramento area rain in November and December was not enough to keep numbers above normal, Henry said. 

The accumulative rainfall for downtown Sacramento for the 2012-13 was 16.44 inches of rain, or 81 percent of normal, said Henry. Henry said the January dryer conditions the rainfall numbers down compared to the previous year. 

While the total is up from last year’s 13.23 inches of rainfall, which was 65 percent of normal, it doesn’t compare to 2011-12 year’s 24.83 inches -- or 122 percent of normal -- of rain that fell in downtown area.

Henry warns against being alarmed just yet at the decrease.

“Downtown oscillates between above normal and below normal,” said Henry. “It just means we didn’t receive the amount of rainfall we could have... It doesn’t necessarily mean we are in a drought or anything.”

“Normal” in downtown Sacramento is about 20.27 inches, explained Henry. The rainfall numbers are collected between July 1 through June 30 each year. 

Rainfall totals can be important for determining the success of area crops and the level of fire conditions, Henry said. However, the annual snowpack report due out in October is a stronger indicator, she said.

Read more about the results from The Sacramento Bee.