Sacramento's October-November rain total tracks very close to 2022
Rain, rain, rain; when is it coming our way? So far, our water year has been below average, but that doesn't mean we'll have a dry December. Kathy Morrison
So far, our current water year – which runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2024 – has been feeling kind of dry. But don’t panic about lack of rainfall; we were at almost exactly the same spot last December – and we remember how that water year turned out.
For much of Sacramento (especially us folks south of the American River), our recent showers have been a drizzle at best. According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento received only a trace of rain from the storm systems that passed through Northern California since Thanksgiving. A half inch or more had been predicted.
Sacramento’s November rain totaled only 0.36 inches – 1.3 inches below average. Of that total, most of it (0.21 inches) fell on one day (Nov. 18). That followed a below par October (0.6 inches).
Our 2023-24 water year, which started Oct. 1, hasn’t quite measured up to an inch – 0.96. That’s more than 1.5 inches below our 30-year average for those two months.
Here’s the surprise: The first two months of our 2022-23 water year totaled almost exactly the same – 0.95 inches. After a bone-dry October, all of that total fell in November. That may be why we remember last November as “wet.”
Or it could be because we had a very wet winter. Last December kicked off an unusually rainy season with 2.33 inches falling in the first five days. December 2022 ended with 7.79 inches – 4.36 inches above average.
That 2022-23 water year wound up as one of the wettest on record. Downtown Sacramento received 26.22 inches, more than 7 inches – 36.5% – above average.
As for this December, the weather service forecasts more possible showers coming soon – or not. “Chance rain showers” – 20 to 35% – is predicted for Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday. But those odds also mean chances are 65 to 80% we’ll stay dry.
Just keep your umbrella handy – and fingers crossed.
For more on Sacramento weather: https://www.weather.gov/sto/.
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Garden Checklist for week of May 5
Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:
* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.
* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.
* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.
* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.