Fall’s first rain could arrive Thursday

Batten down the witches and goblins, the National Weather Service warned Tuesday. A windy storm is on its way and could mess with your holiday decor.

The Modesto area could get up to half an inch of rain from a system arriving late Thursday and another over the weekend, according to the latest forecast. It urged residents to clear leaves from storm drains and to watch out for oil residue on roads that can become slick with the first rain of fall.

“Loose objects, including Halloween decorations, may be blown around,” the advisory said.

The rain likely will not cause problems with crops harvested in mid-October, including nuts and feed corn, said Roger Duncan, a farm adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Stanislaus County.

This would be the first measureable amount in the rainfall year that started July 1, as recorded at the downtown office of the Modesto Irrigation District. On average, 0.5 inches would have fallen by now toward an annual total of 12.19 inches.

The storm is not expected to drop much snow in the Sierra Nevada, the main source of water for MID and many other suppliers. The snowpack has been less than average for five straight years, but reservoir storage has improved somewhat in 2016.

MID will shut down its canals for the year on Oct. 21. The Turlock Irrigation District, its partner on the Tuolumne River, plans to go to Nov. 2. The roughly 600 cubic feet flowing in the TID system is typical for this time of year, spokesman Calvin Curtin said.

Duncan said the almond harvest is about 95 percent complete, and growers with nuts still drying on the ground should pick them up before the storm. The walnut crop is less far along, but a small storm is welcome because it helps with the hull split that is part of the process, he said.

Dairy farmers are still harvesting feed corn, and they should let it dry out after the rain to prevent mildew, Duncan said. The moisture also will help winter feed crops get a start.

This story was originally published October 11, 2016 at 7:18 PM with the headline "Fall’s first rain could arrive Thursday."