Rain Records Tumble Across Northern California
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- When it comes to rain, the forecasters at the National Weather Service go by their own calendar.
While the normal calendar year runs from Jan. 1-Dec. 31st, the rain or water year, according to forecasters, runs from Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30. And after years of drought, this rain year has become a record setter.
The weather service maintains a system of eight measuring stations in the Northern Sierra. Rain and snow from the recent weather front has set a new rain year high of 89.7 inches. The previous record was 88.5 inches in 1982-83.
In the Bay Area, forecasters say that San Rafael has set a mark for an all-time wettest year at 61.72 inches through Wednesday. The old mark was 61.45 inches in 1994-1995.
The Mount Diablo Junction in the East Bay also set a new mark before the overnight rains at 50.40 inches. The old mark was 44.30 inches back in 1997.
In the Santa Cruz Mountains, Ben Lomond will likely soar past its all time wettest year by next week. Heading into Wednesday it had 92.04 inches with the record being 95.65 during the killer storms of 1982-83.
Dozens of other cities have set similar marks.
When it comes to snow, the Sierra has been buried under more than 60 feet of snow at some points.
According to the weather service, Sugar Bowl has had 751 inches of snow this year. Boreal follows with 708 inches, Squaw valley had gotten 685 inches, Soda Springs 680 inches and Northstar 669 inches.
