[Water_news] 2. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: SUPPLY -10/3/08

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment 

 

October 3, 2008

 

2. Supply –

 

Water officials welcome first rain since March 15

San Jose Mercury News

 

Rain on the way

Sacramento Bee

 

A Saturday of rain for Southern California

A cold front will bring showers and temperatures in the 60s, breaking the grip of record Los Angeles heat. Lake Tahoe could see snow.

Los Angeles Times

 

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Water officials welcome first rain since March 15

San Jose Mercury News – 10/2/08

By Sandra Gonzales

 

After the driest spring in decades, the Bay Area's first storm of the season is about to be unleashed today, and, at times, it may even be a downright downpour.

Today's rain should start in the North Bay, then move its way to the South Bay by the evening, with San Jose expected to get up to half an inch. The storm will continue through Saturday morning before tapering off.

 

"It's somewhat unusual to see a weather system produce this much this early in the rainy season," said Duane Dykema, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Monterey.

 

Typically, the rainy season doesn't start for at least another month. The last time it rained significantly in San Jose was March 15, and it wasn't even a quarter of an inch. San Jose received 9.6 inches of rain from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 64 percent of normal.

 

With the state possibly entering its third consecutive dry year, today's rain is welcomed by many, anxiously hoping this is the first of a series of heavy storms this season.

 

"It's important that we get a substantial amount of precipitation this year," said Ted Thomas, spokesman for the state's Department of Water Resources. "Our reservoir storage is very low. If we enter a third consecutive dry year, then we're going to have serious water problems in California, which will lead to more communities imposing mandatory conservation measures."

 

Statewide, the rain that fell from March to August was only 31 percent of normal, making it the driest spring in nearly 120 years. Communities, especially farmers, were hit even harder after a federal judge ordered pumping from the delta reduced to protect an endangered fish.

 

In the South Bay, Santa Clara County's 10 reservoirs are only about half full, but there is still a considerable amount of water in the ground basin, said Susan Siravo, spokesman for the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

 

"Compared to other water agencies around the state, we're in relatively good shape," Siravo said. "Still, we are looking forward to rain because we had a very dry spring."

 

Meanwhile, Santa Cruz County officials alerted residents to be wary of potential mud slides this winter, especially in the Summit area, recently ravaged by grass fires. "We have to watch closely where they had the fires," Dykema said. "If it looks like it's going to be wetter than we expect, there could be danger." #

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10622769?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

 

Rain on the way

Sacramento Bee – 10/3/08

By Niesha Lofing

 

Grab an umbrella and bundle up those kids - it's going to be a cool, damp day in Sacramento.

Today will likely mark the first day in more than five months that Sacramentans will see significant rainfall. The last rain shower was back on May 24, when 400ths of an inch of rain moistened the region, said Holly Osborne, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

"We had a pretty dry spring this year," she said.

Does the rain today bear any indication of a wetter winter?

Not really, Osborne said.

 

"It doesn't look like an El Nino or La Nina," she said, referring to the climatic phenomenons that can have dramatic effects on the weather. "We're looking at a near normal year."

 

High temperatures today are anticipated to reach only about 69 to 70 degrees in downtown Sacramento.

And while that midday walk may be dry, the drive home likely won't be.

 

Light showers are forecast to begin about 2 p.m., with showers becoming steadier about 5 p.m., Osborne said.

Wet and windy conditions - gusts of up to 30 mph are forecast - likely will persist overnight, when lows will drop to about 57 degrees, she said.

The rain will continue into Saturday, with showers becoming intermittent after 10 a.m.

 

Highs Saturday are forecast about 68 degrees.

The system is expected to clear out Saturday night, and Sunday's forecast appears to be dry and warmer, with highs in the low to mid-70s, Osborne said.#

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1286240.html

 

A Saturday of rain for Southern California

A cold front will bring showers and temperatures in the 60s, breaking the grip of record Los Angeles heat. Lake Tahoe could see snow.

Los Angeles Times – 10/3/08

By Tami Abdollah, staff writer

 

After a week that included record-breaking high temperatures, Southern Californians are bracing for the first cold snap of the season, with rain forecast for much of Saturday.

The cold front, moving down from the Pacific Northwest, is expected to result in less than one-tenth of an inch of rain through much of the region, said Jamie Meier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

But Californians can expect the season's first snow - possibly three to six inches - in the Lake Tahoe area.

On Wednesday, the Westside experienced record-high temperatures when the mercury hit 98 degrees at UCLA, breaking a 1991 record of 94 degrees. Downtown Los Angeles hit 100 the same day, tying a 1991 record.

But today is expected to cool off, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 60s and 70s as the cold front moves in.

"We're going to hit the tail end of it," Meier said.

Most of the rain will be in Oregon and Northern California. By Saturday morning, showers are expected to begin in the Los Angeles area, lasting through the afternoon, Meier said.

As of this morning the storm was centered off the coast of Washington and was expected to sweep through the Pacific Northwest this afternoon and evening before making its way south overnight, Meier said.

On Saturday, temperatures are expected to dip into the 60s at the beaches and into the valleys, about 15 degrees below normal, Meier said.

"Rain is the great moderator," Meier said. "When you've got clouds everywhere like that, it really kind of keeps things the same no matter where you go."

Temperatures are expected to gradually rise Sunday and to return to the 80s in most of Southern California by Tuesday.

"No mudslide threat, no snow threat down here," Meier said. "I wish I could say more, but it's not going to be a real exciting storm down here. The exciting thing will be just the ability to turn off the air-conditioning units."#

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-weather4-2008oct04,0,6603014.story