Last of March storms moves through Modesto area. Where do rain and snow totals stand?
Forecasters see several dry days following the rain moving through the Modesto area Wednesday.
The latest storm dropped 0.48 inches at the downtown headquarters of the Modesto Irrigation District on Tuesday. None was recorded Wednesday as of 11 a.m., but the Weather Service forecast up to 0.5 inches through evening.
The Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers continued to run close to flood stage Wednesday, but they are not projected to overflow. Upstream reservoirs are releasing water to prepare for the spring snowmelt, at volumes aimed at not doing damage below.
The MID gauge has collected 18.01 inches of rain in the water year that began July 1. Most tends to fall from November through March. The historical average is 12.12 inches. The record is 26.01 inches in 1983.
Snowpack is more important to MID and other water suppliers. It was 232% of the average for March 29, according to the California Department of Water Resources. This year could break the record set in 1983 if spring brings more storms.
The rivers are unsafe for recreation even if they are short of flooding. The NWS said the Tuolumne was 0.5 feet from flood stage at the Ninth Street Bridge in Modesto as of 8 a.m. Wednesday. The San Joaquin was 4 feet below near Newman.
The Stanislaus River is not near flood stage thanks to the especially large unused capacity in New Melones Reservoir. Visitors nonetheless should be careful because the water is swift and cold.
