In 2012 we got less than 6", this year we have had 1.9", average is about 13". The last time we had a storm produce more than .25" was a year ago. This year was the least rainfall recorded in 150 years. It's been so dry that when we had freezing temperatures there was no frost!
Not sure it's ever going to rain again
- Thread starter tom slick
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Man that's desert! We had about 50-60" this year which is above average. Hope your situation improves.
Ya, there hasn't been a lot of rain. Last time I drove by Lake Cachuma it was pretty low.
We had a record drought for decades and recently had a thousand year flood in Colorado. It will get your way eventually, but only "god" or whatever higher power knows when.
Wow we had a serious long term drought from about 2007-2011. Only in the past couple of years have we had anything approaching normal with 2013 being well above normal which we really needed because the lakes were dangerously low (nearly dried up!) and that is where drinking water comes from around here (upstate of SC)
I used to live in the San Fernando Valley, Granada Hills and I do remember some very dry years similar to what you have experienced.
Hope the Good Lord finds it in His plans to send some relief soon Tom!
I used to live in the San Fernando Valley, Granada Hills and I do remember some very dry years similar to what you have experienced.
Hope the Good Lord finds it in His plans to send some relief soon Tom!
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We got dumed on last night. 2 hrs of hard rain washed my road away
We have a forecast of 4-6" of rain in some areas to the south of us over the weekend.
The past couple of years have seen less than average precipitation. Seems like we make up for it all at once.
The past couple of years have seen less than average precipitation. Seems like we make up for it all at once.
Originally Posted By: tom slick
In 2012 we got less than 6", this year we have had 1.9", average is about 13". The last time we had a storm produce more than .25" was a year ago. This year was the least rainfall recorded in 150 years. It's been so dry that when we had freezing temperatures there was no frost!
Few years before we had less than 4" for the whole year. This season we had slightly below average, about 1.5" so far.
In 2012 we got less than 6", this year we have had 1.9", average is about 13". The last time we had a storm produce more than .25" was a year ago. This year was the least rainfall recorded in 150 years. It's been so dry that when we had freezing temperatures there was no frost!
Few years before we had less than 4" for the whole year. This season we had slightly below average, about 1.5" so far.
Eyeballed Folsom Lake a week ago (West of Sac) and it was sad looking low. Need the rain for sure.
Still have a few months to go. I remember a march years ago where I thought it wasn't going to stop raining. Lots of flooding then in areas.
I keep watching weather and hoping. Just hope it comes and not all at once.
One of my home weather stations keeps showing rain. Lying weather station needs to be culled out from the others.
The bright side.... decent motorcycle riding and other outdoor activities.
Still have a few months to go. I remember a march years ago where I thought it wasn't going to stop raining. Lots of flooding then in areas.
I keep watching weather and hoping. Just hope it comes and not all at once.
One of my home weather stations keeps showing rain. Lying weather station needs to be culled out from the others.
The bright side.... decent motorcycle riding and other outdoor activities.
Planners are stupid...they work on averages, and averages are simply averages.
100 year rainfall data becomes an "average", and is used for planning populations, water allocations and all...
One year, you are experiencing "below average" rainfall, another "above average"....hmmmm, why isn't every year "average" ?
Problem with climate is that 100 year averages can have a decade of drought, 2 years of intense rain, and another decade of drought...but we plan on the average.
100 year rainfall data becomes an "average", and is used for planning populations, water allocations and all...
One year, you are experiencing "below average" rainfall, another "above average"....hmmmm, why isn't every year "average" ?
Problem with climate is that 100 year averages can have a decade of drought, 2 years of intense rain, and another decade of drought...but we plan on the average.
If not recorded precipitation, what data should be used? Check the methodology of predicting 500 year flood levels with only 100 years of data. With future lives at stake and millions of dollars worth of infrastructure investment at risk, any suggestions to improve the process would be welcomed.
With regard to water resources, let the planners know the exact population, ag/industrial consumption, and new uses 10, 50, and 100 years from now. They will throw that in with the new, non-historical, precipitation data and do a better job of planning.
Most of those involved in this work are licensed engineers with post graduate education and very strong statistical skills. Much of the major infrastructure in use today was designed before the current excellent computer packages were in use. Sort of like going to the moon in the sixties with slide rules as a design computation tool.
It would be great to nail the facilities response to every future event. That is the goal. Right now, we are stuck with the data in the record. Here in the states, we are witness to "climate" scientists filtering/adjusting raw data and trying to foist that on the professional community as fact. There you go. That will improve the results.
With regard to water resources, let the planners know the exact population, ag/industrial consumption, and new uses 10, 50, and 100 years from now. They will throw that in with the new, non-historical, precipitation data and do a better job of planning.
Most of those involved in this work are licensed engineers with post graduate education and very strong statistical skills. Much of the major infrastructure in use today was designed before the current excellent computer packages were in use. Sort of like going to the moon in the sixties with slide rules as a design computation tool.
It would be great to nail the facilities response to every future event. That is the goal. Right now, we are stuck with the data in the record. Here in the states, we are witness to "climate" scientists filtering/adjusting raw data and trying to foist that on the professional community as fact. There you go. That will improve the results.
We lived in Huntington Beach, CA for four years in the late eighties. Having lived in the midwest, then tropics for my whole life, I was unprepared the first time I crawled up into the attic. The house was roofed with split cedar shakes. Those things were rough and irregular as can be imagined. Light was streaming in through the roof everywhere.
I had an old retired neighbor that was very helpful. So I rushed over and poured out my story. He just laughed. He said it don't matter. It will keep the rain out. Besides, it don't rain here. When it did rain, the roof worked fine.
That roof structure was very low weight. Just trusses, purlins, and shingles. A dried out shingle was like a feather. One thing though. We never used the fireplace in that house. That roof was a tinder box. But coupled with the stucco walls, it was perfect for earthquake country.
I had an old retired neighbor that was very helpful. So I rushed over and poured out my story. He just laughed. He said it don't matter. It will keep the rain out. Besides, it don't rain here. When it did rain, the roof worked fine.
That roof structure was very low weight. Just trusses, purlins, and shingles. A dried out shingle was like a feather. One thing though. We never used the fireplace in that house. That roof was a tinder box. But coupled with the stucco walls, it was perfect for earthquake country.
Originally Posted By: DoiInthanon
We lived in Huntington Beach, CA for four years in the late eighties. Having lived in the midwest, then tropics for my whole life, I was unprepared the first time I crawled up into the attic. The house was roofed with split cedar shakes. Those things were rough and irregular as can be imagined. Light was streaming in through the roof everywhere.
I had an old retired neighbor that was very helpful. So I rushed over and poured out my story. He just laughed. He said it don't matter. It will keep the rain out. Besides, it don't rain here. When it did rain, the roof worked fine.
That roof structure was very low weight. Just trusses, purlins, and shingles. A dried out shingle was like a feather. One thing though. We never used the fireplace in that house. That roof was a tinder box. But coupled with the stucco walls, it was perfect for earthquake country.
I bought my house in Fall 1997, the house was built in 1970 with wood shingles roof. When I went up up into the attic I saw light streaming through the roof everywhere.
Few months later we had a severe rain storm, the whole season in 1 day: more than 12" in 24 hours. There was some land slide in the neighborhood whose house on the hill, but amazingly no leak at my house. Somehow the wood shingles keep the water out.
After that rain storm I replaced the roof in the Spring.
We lived in Huntington Beach, CA for four years in the late eighties. Having lived in the midwest, then tropics for my whole life, I was unprepared the first time I crawled up into the attic. The house was roofed with split cedar shakes. Those things were rough and irregular as can be imagined. Light was streaming in through the roof everywhere.
I had an old retired neighbor that was very helpful. So I rushed over and poured out my story. He just laughed. He said it don't matter. It will keep the rain out. Besides, it don't rain here. When it did rain, the roof worked fine.
That roof structure was very low weight. Just trusses, purlins, and shingles. A dried out shingle was like a feather. One thing though. We never used the fireplace in that house. That roof was a tinder box. But coupled with the stucco walls, it was perfect for earthquake country.
I bought my house in Fall 1997, the house was built in 1970 with wood shingles roof. When I went up up into the attic I saw light streaming through the roof everywhere.
Few months later we had a severe rain storm, the whole season in 1 day: more than 12" in 24 hours. There was some land slide in the neighborhood whose house on the hill, but amazingly no leak at my house. Somehow the wood shingles keep the water out.
After that rain storm I replaced the roof in the Spring.
We still haven't had any measurable rainfall. Local lakes are at less than 20% capacity and snow pack is very little. 2013 is the driest year on the books and the state declared a severe drought today.
Every day this month has had above temperatures and our fire danger is still rated at severe.
Every day this month has had above temperatures and our fire danger is still rated at severe.
Originally Posted By: tom slick
We still haven't had any measurable rainfall. Local lakes are at less than 20% capacity and snow pack is very little. 2013 is the driest year on the books and the state declared a severe drought today.
Every day this month has had above temperatures and our fire danger is still rated at severe.
If you would call what we got today rain, then it rained just enough that I have to wash my car now.
We still haven't had any measurable rainfall. Local lakes are at less than 20% capacity and snow pack is very little. 2013 is the driest year on the books and the state declared a severe drought today.
Every day this month has had above temperatures and our fire danger is still rated at severe.
If you would call what we got today rain, then it rained just enough that I have to wash my car now.
Well finally got some rain, after what, 50 or 51 dry days.
Not much but better than nothing and hope this breaks the pattern for more.
I sat out back a little last night to watch lightning a distance away, most 40 miles+, but some came in within 20. That's what the detectors were telling me anyway - then later after gone to bed, it rained again didn't last long.
Need the snow pack up in the hills. Hasn't felt like winter all the way up to now.
Not much but better than nothing and hope this breaks the pattern for more.
I sat out back a little last night to watch lightning a distance away, most 40 miles+, but some came in within 20. That's what the detectors were telling me anyway - then later after gone to bed, it rained again didn't last long.
Need the snow pack up in the hills. Hasn't felt like winter all the way up to now.
I hope it rains around here, there's so much salt on the roads it's making the air acrid when there's wind.
Originally Posted By: cutter
I hope it rains around here, there's so much salt on the roads it's making the air acrid when there's wind.
Our roads are pure white as are most of the vehicles.
I hope it rains around here, there's so much salt on the roads it's making the air acrid when there's wind.
Our roads are pure white as are most of the vehicles.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: tom slick
We still haven't had any measurable rainfall. Local lakes are at less than 20% capacity and snow pack is very little. 2013 is the driest year on the books and the state declared a severe drought today.
Every day this month has had above temperatures and our fire danger is still rated at severe.
If you would call what we got today rain, then it rained just enough that I have to wash my car now.
Same here! Barely enough to get the ground wet but plenty to spot the car.
Originally Posted By: tom slick
We still haven't had any measurable rainfall. Local lakes are at less than 20% capacity and snow pack is very little. 2013 is the driest year on the books and the state declared a severe drought today.
Every day this month has had above temperatures and our fire danger is still rated at severe.
If you would call what we got today rain, then it rained just enough that I have to wash my car now.
Same here! Barely enough to get the ground wet but plenty to spot the car.
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