While much of the western U.S. continues to suffer from a punishing drought, the Bay Area was close to its normal total precipitation over the last year, state officials said Monday.
According to data from the state’s Department of Water Resources, the Bay Area received roughly 82 percent of its annual average rainfall during the 2021-2022 water year, measured from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022.
That outpaced statewide precipitation, which only reached 76 percent of the average annual total. The northeastern part of the state was the only other region with an average rainfall total that eclipsed the state’s.
According to Michael Anderson, the state climatologist, the Bay Area’s higher rainfall was boosted largely by the atmospheric river storms that blanketed the region in October 2021.
That said, California is still in the midst of its driest period ever recorded.
“Water years 2021 and 2022 are now the driest three-year stretch in the observed record that begins with water year 1986,” Anderson said. “The previous record in 2013, 2014 and 2015 was a little over 49 inches (of precipitation). This three-year stretch is coming in just over 46.”
With another La Nina winter likely on the horizon, according to state water officials, bringing with it more dry conditions, the state is likely to see drought conditions continue for months and years to come.
“We saw this past year things went from very wet to very dry,” Anderson said. “So we just have to be very attentive to those weather forecasts – they offer us a short window, one to two weeks at a time – but be ready for anything that might come our way.”
We have the ocean and it is wet every year. I get tired of listening to the experts.
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CA climate is cyclical… dry periods, wet periods, and typical periods.
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Don’t listen to “experts” who make extreme claims… they usually have a hidden agenda (like Federal research grants) or are being paid to lie to you in their self interest.
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I believe we also had far more wind last year and this spring which dries things out rapidly. Thus, while the rainfall seemed normal at times the garden needed more water than usual.
+1 We DEFINITLY had far more wind!!
We most certainly did not. What type of gaslighting is this? Lying to our faces as usual.
The mainstream media is talking about the 4th year drought coming up – The Farmers Almanac says otherwise & they have a surprisingly accurate record for over 100 yrs…. so I posed the opposing view to media weather departments & asked for their opinion – no response, I’m not surprised
Gosh darn that human caused global warming!!!
There was a nice post from a lady a while ago and she wanted to remind everybody to water their shrubs.
I recycle my grey water – During showers, I only use “Doctor Bronners” soap. I plug the tub – and use all the “grey water” in my plants – and even to wash old rags (and dry in the sun). I take the watering can, dunk in bath water – and use it to water plants. Plants LOVE this water – the only drawback is I cannot “condition” my hair – and have to be mindful about what lotions I might use on my skin. (Coconut Oil and/or NATURAL cocoa butter is AOK 4 the water re-use). I can also cam use this “grey water” to flush the toilet (sorry – TMI – but there u have it). If I need to get “creative” – I could rig up a hose to the outside – as my bathtub is located near a front yard window. I’m sharing all of this (in case it might help others).