by Jon LaHaye
Heavy rains fell across the district on both October 13th and again on the 19th. The rainfall on the 13th was particularly heavy and represents the biggest October storm since 1962. Lake Lagunitas rainfall has totaled 9.63 inches in October. If no additional rain occurs this month, October 2009 will be the 6th wettest October in the 131 years that rainfall records have been kept at Lake Lagunitas. Total annual rainfall at Lake Lagunitas averages about 52 inches.
Significantly above average rainfall (more than twice the average) has occurred in October about 20 times in the period of record. Of those years with significantly above average October rainfall, about 60 percent ended with above average annual rainfall, about 20 percent turned out to be average, and about 20 percent experienced below average rainfall for the year.
As these statistics indicate the rainy season is off to a promising start. However, early rains have also occurred in drought years. October 1975 was also very rainy (about 8 inches). The 1975/76 rainy season turned out to be very dry and the first year of the most severe drought of record.
Actually this was a misquote, it was the largest rainfall in a twenty four hour period. Anyone who remembers the rains in 1980-81 knows it was not the largest rainfall event.