Rain has become a common talker around San Diego water coolers. After two wet months, this weekend's drenching still fresh in our minds and another big rain-maker expected to hit Wednesday, conversations about what a wet winter we're having are popping up everywhere.
Well, guess what? This year's rain season hasn't even been as wet as last year's, at least not yet.
At Lindbergh Field, which is the county's official reporting station, San Diego received 6.45 inches of rain so far this season (July 1 - June 30). Last winter, San Diego actually had an inch and a half more rain, a total of 7.94 inches, by this date. Mother nature got kind of stingy the last five months of the season, and San Diego ended up with 9.15 inches -- well below the 10.77" season norm.
There is reason to believe the rest of this winter should be different, since climatologists are saying the El Niño is still going strong. The next storm, in fact, is predicted to drop another inch or so at the airport on Wednesday, and local long-range forecasters say the month should end with a series of wet storms.
Then, if March brings normal rainfall (2.26 inches), that could push us above normal -- depending, of course, on what happens the final two weeks of February. After that, any rain in April, May and June would be surplus, something the drought-starved city hasn't seen since 2004-2005.
And, in case you're wondering, here are the totals from this weekend's storm. Check out Palomar Mountain - unbelievable!
SAN DIEGO COUNTY COASTAL AREAS
OCEANSIDE AIRPORT 0.88
CARLSBAD AIRPORT 0.75
ENCINITAS 1.15
SAN DIEGO LINDBERGH 0.67
BROWN FIELD 0.73
MIRAMAR MCAS 0.77
MONTGOMERY FIELD 0.45
SAN DIEGO COUNTY VALLEYS
FALLBROOK 1.42
VALLEY CENTER 0.98
SAN MARCOS 0.58
ESCONDIDO 1.14
POWAY 0.51
RAMONA 0.70
LA MESA 0.88
ALPINE 1.38
POTRERO 1.70
SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS
PALOMAR MOUNTAIN 4.38
RANCHITA 0.70
JULIAN 2.79
SANTA YSABEL 1.73
DESCANSO 1.76
MOUNT LAGUNA 1.96
CAMPO 1.66
