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California Is Already Drenched. Now Three ‘Atmospheric Rivers’ May Unload Two Months’ Worth Of Rain.
Californians proudly regard themselves as early adopters and trendsetters. So, of course, they’ll be the first to experience an aberrant weather pattern that is expected in the continental United States over the coming days. A jet stream sagging into the mid latitudes is forecast to drive into the Golden State some unseasonably late precipitation and a lot of it starting Wednesday and continuing into the weekend.
March-Like Storm To Blast California With Drenching Rain, Mountain Snow and Severe Weather
After sunshine and pleasant weather grace California early this week, a powerful storm system will barrel into the state during the middle to latter part of the week. The return of a March-like weather pattern, driven by a large dip in the jet stream, will be the culprit for driving this rare storm into the West Coast. Rain will first move into Northern California on Wednesday before overspreading the rest of the state by Wednesday night and Thursday. By the time the storm moves into the Four Corners region later on Friday, the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and parts of Northern and coastal California will receive between 1 to 3 inches of rain.
Even Though The Rain Felt Endless This Winter, It Actually Wasn’t That Wet
It’s official: This week, San Francisco surpassed what’s normal for the water year, and the rainy season isn’t over yet. The city measures 23.65 inches of rain on average in a water year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. After a round of light showers on Monday, the downtown gauge’s water-year total hit 23.69 inches. With more unsettled weather in the forecast, that number is bound to inch up even more in April and May, before holding steady through the summer months. While this season has stood out in many people’s minds as noteworthy and painstakingly rainy, “it’s just a normal year,” said Jan Null, a consulting meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services.
San Diego Reservoirs Fill up As More Rain And Snow Moves Into Region
Forecasters said Tuesday that California’s markedly wet winter will continue to deliver significant rain and copious high-elevation snow to the saturated San Diego area this week. From tomorrow afternoon through early Friday, another cold storm is expected to drop a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch of moisture along the coast, three-quarters of an inch to 1.5 inches in the inland valleys, 1.5 to two inches in the mountains, and 0.1 to 0.2 of an inch in the deserts, according to the National Weather Service.
Where Does Water Flow in Your Landscaping?
To capture rainwater and any excess irrigation inthe soil or rain barrels, it is first necessary to understand what happens when water comes off the roof of buildings and moves across the property.
Where is water moving?
Make a copy of your landscaping site plan, and label it “Water Plan.” It should have the position of the buildings and major landscaping structures. During a rainstorm, watch what happens to water as it comes off the roof of the house and moves through the property.
- Are there any low spots where water pools?
- Does water run entirely off the property anywhere?
- Do any buildings or hard surfaces such as patios appear to be damaged by water? Is the damage caused by rain, by irrigation, or by both?
Note the direction water moves around the property from one area to another, or through multiple areas.
Turn on irrigation systems for three minutes, and make a note about where there is any pooling or runoff.
Assess the downspouts for water volume
Use the following process to figure out how much water comes off any hard surface, whether it is a roof, patio, driveway, or sidewalk.
First, imagine the total roof area of your garage is 20 by 20 feet square, or 400 square feet, and water flows off it in two downspouts.
If half the water goes into each downspout, the roof size for one downspout is half your total area. In this example, that is 200 square feet.
Multiply the square footage for your downspout area by 0.62 to get the gallons of water per inch of rain coming from your downspout. Using our example of 200 square feet, the formula is 200 x 0.62 = 124 gallons.
Once you have this number, you can plan for the resources needed to capture this water runoff for later use using tools such as rain barrels.
This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.
Back-To-Back Storms Will Bring Rain, Potential For Debris Flows In Burn Areas
The first of three back-to-back winter storms will arrive in Southern California Thursday morning, bringing the potential for heavy rain along with a chance of debris flows and flooding in areas recently ravaged by wildfires, the National Weather Service said. The first storm, arriving by noon Thursday, will be fairly light — dropping a quarter of an inch to an inch of rain in Los Angeles County. Possible thunderstorms, however, could bring heavier rain to some regions, said Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist intern with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Week Will Start Off Warm But Turn Cool, Maybe Rainy
San Diego basked in summer-like weather on Sunday as a high pressure system sent the daytime high to 77 degrees, which is 12 degrees above average. But things are about to change.
Don’t Believe Your Windshield Wipers: Despite Storms, Southern California Water Conservation Is Still Needed
As rain continues to pelt Southern California, signs of an abundance of or even too much water are everywhere: Roads are flooded, reservoirs are filling and the wait time for Radiator Springs Racers at the damp Disneyland Resort has been less than a half hour. But as residents of burn areas evacuate and even heavier rain is forecast for Thursday, those who watch the state and local water supplies note that while the drought is technically over, the need to conserve water is not.
Evacuations Ordered, Roads Closed in California as Flooding Rain Arrives
Heavy rain and mountain snow is spreading across California and will bring the risk of flooding, mudslides and travel delays into Friday. Measurable rain is expected in the state’s largest cities, including in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento. Mandatory evacuations have already been issued for people living near the Holy Fire burn scar due to the potential for flooding and mudslides, while those in Malibu near the Woolsey Fire burn scar have been put on alert for potential evacuation.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
