Storm not enough to wash away concerns

Another small storm, not enough to reverse the trend toward a drought this year, was forecast to move through the Modesto area today.

The National Weather Service estimated a 40 percent chance of rain starting about 10 p.m. Monday and an 80 percent chance today, mostly before 4 p.m. There's a 50 percent chance of showers tonight, mainly before 10.

The storm was expected to add up to less than half an inch of rain. The storm season has brought just 3.45 inches to the city as of Monday afternoon, less than half the historical average of about 8 inches, the Modesto Irrigation District reported.

Snow is forecast for about the 6,100-foot level and above in Tuolumne County, but in fairly small amounts. As of Monday, the snowpack in the central Sierra Nevada was at 29 percent of average, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

The dry conditions come a year after one of the biggest snowpacks ever recorded in the Sierra. It has left carryover water to help ease the drought — 109 percent of average in Don Pedro Reservoir on the Tuolumne River as of Monday and 141 percent in New Melones Reservoir on the Stanislaus River, the state agency reported.

The weather service forecasts mostly clear weather from Wednesday through the weekend, though fog could develop at times.