How much rain may fall in Modesto along with autumn leaves? Help keep storm drains clear
The Modesto area could get up to an inch of rain over five days starting Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.
The forecast for Monday, Nov. 13, is sunny with a high temperature of 69. Those are perfect conditions for raking leaves from curbside gutters to help storm drains function.
The highest chances of rain are Wednesday and Thursday. An email sent by the Weather Service’s Sacramento office Monday morning says there’s an 82% chance Modesto will have at least a quarter inch of rain between Wednesday and Saturday.
Stanislaus County tends to get little rain compared with its central Sierra Nevada watersheds. Sonora, for example, can expect up to 1.5 inches at its foothill elevation this week. The storm could bring up to 8 inches of snow near the crest.
Stanislaus cities do have an abundance of autumn leaves, from deciduous trees along their streets. They provided welcome shade from summer heat. Now they are falling into gutters, where they could contribute to flooded streets.
The Weather Service noted this in an email advisory, along with urging residents to check their windshield wiper blades and keep umbrellas handy.
The Modesto Irrigation District has recorded 0.22 inches of rain at its downtown offices since the July 1 start of the water year. The annual average is 12.17 inches, mainly from November through March.
