From NAPA :
Happy Friday everybody!
It’s finally raining in Napa Valley (and is supposed to all weekend long). As I am sure you all know, we have been in the midst of a very dry winter, and nothing made me happier this morning than to wake up to the sounds of a slow steady rain falling down. It finally feels like winter in Calistoga.
I am happy for you all out there. Much needed.
+1
Breaking News; 2014- Vintage of the Century!
Little early for that, but definitely Vintage of the Year!
Saw something depressing on DroughtMonitor.com - Western US [California] Water equiv from snowpack is 4.5 inches since 10/1/13. Last year comparison was 34+ inches. We would need a series of 6 - 10 storms each packing 3 - 4 feet of wet snow to make a difference. Somewhat related, a colleague today was telling me that Army Corp of Engineers is mandated to release water from reservoirs for "anticipated’ flood control, even though there is a drought. Anybody else hear that? she said Congress needs to approve any modifications.
Well the roads are so bad up in Tahoe, my son’s weekend ski trip has been cancelled…and it is still snowing heavily around the Tahoe basin.
Doug,
Are those figures to get back to normal?
There was an article about just that in the PD yesterday regarding how they let water out of Lake Mendocino when we were in a drought year and now the lake is all but dried up. I’d be amazed if they did it again this year.
Dumped the rain gauge this morning and it was at 1-1/4". Forgot to put it back out but it’s been coming down all day and now getting heavy. Put the gauge back out right now and will check it same time tomorrow. Ground is soft but the property is not giving any runoff yet. I’ll check back in the morning.
It’s been raining all day!!!
And I’m watching creeks fill up…A good sign. But, we need about one more month of this. (There goes my golf game!) I’ll live.
We were in Napa last weekend for a tasting adventure. Since the weather was so nice, we rented a convertible. We had a little rain on Sunday as we were leaving but it was great. I am glad they are having rain though, it is for the grapes after all.
Surprising. My wife just came back from Squaw this afternoon.
Rain! Loving it. Good news for sure.
Rain projected through Sunday is 4 plus inches in the North Bay, with rain off and on in the ten day forecast.
Funnier yet, one of the “weathermen” said it was possible for flooding in the creeks and some rivers. The weatherman said this storm would start Tuesday. He could have read the Farmer’s Almanac and been closer:
FEBRUARY 2014: temperature 52.5° (2.5° below avg.); precipitation 5" (2" above avg.); Feb 1-3: Sunny, mild; Feb 4-8: Heavy rain north, showers south; cool; Feb 9-15: Rainy periods, cool; Feb 16-21: Rain, some heavy, cool; Feb 22-28: Showers, then sunny, cool.
MARCH 2014: temperature 56° (1° below avg.); precipitation 2.5" (0.5" above avg. east, 1" below west); Mar 1-4: Sunny north, rainy periods south; cool; Mar 5-8: Rain, then sunny, cool; Mar 9-12: Showers north, sunny south; cool; Mar 13-20: Showers, then sunny, turning warm; Mar 21-25: Scattered showers, cooler; Mar 26-31: Rainy periods, cool.
Farmers Almanac eh? It was wrong all Winter and now you are going to cite it? ![[stirthepothal.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/f40faec63ca1018898a40805efbf9f0066a3d205.gif "[stirthepothal.gif]"){kind=small}
Grumble grumble. I was supposed to go hiking this morning here near yountville but that’s out of the question now.
Just checked the rain gauge and we’ve gotten 2" in the last 12hrs.
You Californians are so… pretty… ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
I doubt you’d want to hike where I was planning, in this rain… also the wife is with me.
Just throwin’ a little Seattle trash talk your way. Now you can go wine tasting instead!
Andrew lol. We locals dream of this Type of weather…the roads are never as bad as they say…but I am sure organized bus trips are something else