Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

County's Rainfall Down In December And For The Year

Rainfall totals for the area in December were below normal as 1997 came to an end.

In addition, the year ended with the region below normal on rainfall. According to John Teeter, local meteorologist, 4.65 inches of moisture fell during the last month of the year, with the normal amount being 5.28 inches. This left a deficit amount of 0.63 inches.

The yearly total was 54.25 inches, with the average annual amount being 56.51 inches. Again, this resulted in a shortfall of 2.26 inches.

Teeter said it rained eight days during the month, with the largest amount received at one time being 1.65 inches on Dec. 24.

Davis Benton, the Cale meteorologist, said rainfall in the south part of Nevada County was 5.75 inches in December, with a yearly total of 55.88 inches or some three inches below normal.

Teeter said the dense fog which blanketed the county on Dec. 9 was a bit unusual.

Benton, looking back at the year's weather, said the wettest month of 1997 was April when 9.85 inches of rain fell to earth. The other side of the scale saw July as the driest when only 0.65 inches hit the dirt in the Cale area.

January 6, 1997, saw three inches of snow fall and stick, much to the delight of the younger residents in the county.

The lowest temperature recorded, last year was 15 degrees on Jan. 18, with the highest being 103 degrees on July 28.

High winds on Independence Day did considerable damage in the county as well.

Teeter said the average temperature for the month of December was 41.7 degrees, or 3.2 degrees below the normal of 44.9 degrees.

He said there were 15 days when the temperature fell to the freezing mark of 32 degrees, with the lowest reading being 24 degrees on Dec. 7, 14 and 15.

December 1997, was an abnormally cold month, Teeter said, but nothing like Dec. 1941, when all 31 days of the month registered mercury levels below the freezing mark, while lows during the month were in the single digits.

For 1997's December, though, there were no watches or warnings posted by the National Weather Service.

Looking toward this first month of 1998, Teeter said the normal rainfall amount to be expected is 3.76 inches, while the average temperature reading should be 41.5 degrees.

He also reminds everyone to pay attention to watches and warnings posted, as some of the most severe storms to hit the area have occurred during winter.