Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rainfall Above Normal Despite Recent Heat

In spite of the recent heat wave, the area is still above normal for rainfall for this time of the year.

According to local weatherman John W. Teeter, the normal amount of rainfall for June is 5.41 inches, while 4.13 inches actually fell.

Cale weatherman Davis Benton reported 5.75 inches of rain in the south part of the county for the month.

He said the total rainfall for the first six months of the year in the Cale region is 34.98 inches, about 10 inches above normal.

However, the normal amount of rain for this time of the year is 29.92 inches, while 34.15 inches of the wet stuff has fallen.

Teeter said the heavy rains the area received earlier in the year are the reason we are still above normal.

It rained eight days in June, with the largest single day amount being 1.94 inches on June 19.

The average temperature for the month was 72.7 degrees, or 5.4 degrees below normal, which is 78.1.

The highest the mercury reached in the thermometer was 93 on June 28. The lowest temperature recorded in the month was 52 on June 7.

There were four watches or warnings posted for June, or two less than usual.

Turning to July, the normal amount of rain received during the seventh month of the year is 4.25 inches, while the average temperature is 80.7 degrees.

"Summer is here," Teeter said. "With the mile summers we've had during the past 10 years, we forget what hot is."

There have been only 13 days when the temperature has climbed above the 100 degree mark in the last decade, and none of those dates were in Aug. 1993.

From June 19, 1930 through Sept, 30, there were 57 days when the temperature hit or exceeded 100 degrees. On July 29 of that year, the all time record for this area was reached when the mercury tipped 112 degrees.

In 1954, from June 19 through Sept. 16, there were 65 days of 100 degree plus weather. On July 17 and 18 of that year, the thermometer climbed to 111 degrees.

The most recent serious heat wave came from June 26 through Sept. 16, 1980. During this span of time there were 65 days of 100 or hotter temperatures. The highest the mercury reached was 109 on Aug. 26.

"Many will remember the huge woods fires during 1954," Teeter said. "More than 3,000 acres of timber burned. Several barns and homes were also destroyed. We realized then more than ever the need for rural fire protection."

The rural volunteer fire departments were getting started by the time the drought of 1980 hit. There were firetrucks at Prescott, Emmet, Rosston and Willisville.

From June 1 through Oct. 1 of 1980, these rural fire departments responded to a total of 908 calls.

One day in July, 11 calls were answered in a 24 hour span.

While all the fires weren't immediately put out, Teeter said, the little ones were kept from becoming big fires. The total loss of timber in 1980 was 250 acres.