More rain and snow are coming to a Modesto-area watershed already at 160% of average
Two more rounds of rain and snow are headed for the Modesto area and its Sierra Nevada watershed.
The National Weather Service forecasts up to 2.25 inches of rain in the city between Thursday and Sunday, Dec. 11. Up to about 4 feet of snow could fall in the upper mountains, on top of a storm season already at 160% of average.
The usual caveat: We are still in a drought, but the storms could help keep it from reaching a fourth year in 2023.
The 160% snowpack figure came from the California Department of Water Resources and includes the Tuolumne and Stanislaus rivers and nearby watersheds. They supply farms and cities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley and other areas.
River runoff has been below average for three straight years, but the impact was eased by storage of water from the abundant 2017 and 2019.
The Modesto Irrigation District has recorded 2.24 inches of rain so far at its downtown headquarters. The water year starts July 1, but most storms come from November through March. MID gets 12.2 inches in an average year.
Snowmelt running into the Tuolumne River is the most important part of the supply for MID, the Turlock Irrigation District and San Francisco.
The Modesto forecast starts with patchy fog early Thursday, followed by rain in the evening and overnight. Friday is expected to be partly sunny. Rain is likely over the weekend and has a slight chance Monday.
Snowfall is forecast to start off with up to 3 inches at Sonora Pass, the crest of Highway 108. Another 48 inches could fall by Sunday.
This is the second straight autumn of above-average precipitation. Last year, it was followed by a drier winter and spring that resulted in below-average totals overall.
