How Much Did the Recent Storms Help the Calif. Drought?

By Bay City News Service:

Seasonal rain totals in the Bay Area are back to normal after the weekend rain and windstorm, National Weather Service officials said Monday.

Even though most Bay Area locations were dry in January, the wet weather in December and this weekend has left most parts of the region at or above normal levels for the rainfall year, which began July 1.

“The storm is keeping us on track,” National Weather Service meteorologist Austin Cross said.

More than 13 inches of rain fell in Venado in unincorporated Sonoma County, according to unofficial totals released by the weather service Monday morning. The totals represent accumulated rain during the past 72 hours.

Three peaks in Monterey County received 10.4 inches of rain while Mt. Umunhum in Santa Clara County received 10.16 inches. The Noe Valley neighborhood in San Francisco received nearly 2 inches of rain and Lake Merritt in Oakland received just over 2 inches.

Cross said every little bit of rain helps end the drought, but it may take years before the drought is over.

“Folks should continue to conserve,” he said.

(Image via Shutterstock)