Modesto area could get a quarter inch of rain. Have this year’s storms set any records?
The Modesto area could get up to 0.25 inches of rain Friday night and Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
The forecast comes as California moves toward its main storm season, following the dry and warm stretch from May on.
The Modesto Irrigation District has recorded 0.09 inches of rain since the July 1 start of its water year, all on Sept. 9. It gets 12.12 inches in an average year, mostly from November through March.
A different calendar is used by the California Department of Water Resources, from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. That means the current year is about to end — one that’s had plenty of rain and snow.
One measure put the central Sierra Nevada at 161% of average as Thursday. This is based on a composite of rain and snow at five gauging stations.
The record of 195% of average was set in the 1982-83 water year. It will stand unless a truly unprecedented storm blows in by Saturday.
That’s not likely. The Weather Service forecasts rain in virtually all of the Tuolumne County portion of the watershed. A little snow might fall near Sonora Pass, the summit of Highway 108, but it probably won’t stick.
Sierra snow provides most of the water for MID and other irrigation districts and cities in the Central Valley.
The Modesto forecast calls for highs of 83 on Thursday and 80 on Friday, and then a significant drop to 68 Saturday, 71 Sunday and 75 Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday highs are expected to be back in the 80s
The area has a 30% chance of rain after 11 p.m. Friday and 40% on Saturday. Dry conditions are expected Sunday through Wednesday.
