Winter rain totals just below average in Sacramento

How will we remember the Winter of ’25? Was it too wet? Too dry? Just right?

Thanks to “March Miracle” storm systems dumping snow on the Sierra, our Water Year picture looks like it’s found the Goldilocks zone. But Sacramento could still use some more rain this spring.

This winter, Sacramento totaled just above 9.5 inches of precipitation; that’s a little below average. So far, our Water Year (which started Oct. 1) has totaled 13.29 inches in Sacramento; average for that same period is 14.81 inches.

More showers should be expected. Historically, March averages 2.75 inches of rain in Sacramento with another 1.15 inches in April.

Thankfully, the Sierra snowpack looks healthy and local reservoirs are relatively full. Compared to recent drought years, we’re in a good place water-wise heading into the drier months ahead. That’s good new for farmers and gardeners.

In the next few days, dramatic shifts in temperatures could cause some complications, especially for tender seedlings.

According to the National Weather Service, spring will start with a jump in temperatures. Sacramento will go from 61 degrees on March 19 (today, the last official day of winter) to 81 degrees Monday, March 24. That warming trend will start on Saturday and Sunday with a weekend in the 70s before zipping right into the 80s. Make sure new transplants stay hydrated.

(And many of us experienced hail last week!)

Don’t let those warm temperatures fool you; it’s still too early to plant tomatoes. Soil temperature has to rise, too. So far this March, our soil temperature has been trending low.

According to USDA, the average soil temperature on Wednesday in Sacramento County was about 53 degrees F.; that’s more than 3 degrees lower than average for the last day of winter.

Tomato roots need temperatures comfortably in the mid 60s; our soil won’t reach those temperatures until late in April or early May.

Want to plant sooner? Soil in raised beds warms faster. So does soil in black plastic containers; the black plastic absorbs heat. Choose those options for your earliest transplants.