Thursday, 01 February 2007 02:29

This January Driest Since 1989

slide18After midnight last night it was be official- this January was the driest since 1889. Rainfall accumulation for the month is was at 0.07 inch, which broke the record set in January 1889 of 0.15 inch. The normal amount of rain for the month is 4.18 inches. In 2006, 3.07 inches fell on the city. Today will be the 27th dry day in a row, well short of the longest winter dry spell, which was 44 days from Nov. 15 to Dec. 28, 1976. Temperatures are expected to reach the low 60s in Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto. Lake Tahoe will see a high of 43 degrees. The snow pack is also well below normal, at about 48 percent in the northern Sierra, 43 percent in the central Sierra and 40 percent in the southern Sierra. Last year at this time, the snow pack was 111 percent of normal in the northern Sierra, 123 percent in the central Sierra and 135 percent in the southern Sierra. The department of Water Services will conduct their next measurement of snowfall this Friday