In December 2010, Santa Rosa received nearly 9.8 inches of rain. January has been a different story. Depending on what part of Sonoma County you inhabit, this months rainfall total is currently on the low side of meager. Santa Rosa has received just .98 inches since the start of our New Year. Good thing we had buckets of precip so early.
Interestingly, the Climate Prediction Center placed a huge chunk of the western conus as to receive below average precipitation in the 6-10 day and the 8-14 day outlooks. If the forecast remains true, January will see little rainfall which means the average rainfall to date will be 17.53 inches by the 31st. Currently Santa Rosa stands at 17.89 inches. Does this mean February will be dry? If the current national Weather Service prediction stands true we may not see rain until the early part of February, which may negate the rainfall surplus.
Meanwhile, it’s been really nice.
JoJo Garcia sprays Round-Up on a zinfandel vineyard he leases from his mother-in-law at Buchignani Vineyards on Dry Creek Road, Thursday Jan. 20, 2011 near Geyserville. Coupled with early season rains and January's copious amount of blue sky, mustard is in full bloom in parts of Dry Creek. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2011
A Vino Farms employee, who declined to give his name, prunes chardonnay, Thursday Jan. 20, 2011 in Windsor. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2011
Mt. St. Helena at sunset, Wednesday January 19, 2011. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2011
A full moon rises over the Mayacmas mountains, Wednesday January 19, 2011. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2011
Barren from winter cold, an oak looms, Wednesday Jan. 19, 2011. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2011
-Kent Porter
