DesertWeather.com blog

This afternoon we saw the first in a series of storms that will affect Southern California this week. Today the rain started in the Coachella Valley around 2:30pm and was a steady, moderate rainfall until it ended around 5:30pm.

Here at DesertWeather headquaters (Thousand Palms) we saw some impressive rain between 3pm and 3:30 with rainfall rates as high as 0.95 inches and hour. In simpler terms that is a good, hard rain. As you can see from the rain rate graph below it was a good moderate rain from start to finish.

Rain Fall Rate

Some preliminary totals are in as of 7pm with most areas receiving as much of an inch with the east valley about half an inch.

7pm Rain Totals

A quick look at the rainfall figures for the calendar year 2009 shows rainfall well below our seasonal average. With the seasonal rainfall average of just over 5 inches for Palm Springs, 2009 departed with only 1.90 inches. Well below what we need.

To help with the drought conditions in California, better news may be on the way. The desert is off to a decent start this winter with a good storm early in December, and although the next few weeks looks dry, some sources are pointing to a wet latter half of January.

Keep in mind that California tracks rainfall by “rain year”, “rain season”, or “water year” which starts July 1st and ends June 30th. Rain data that is recorded at DesertWeather.com follows that rain year. But with the years end I thought 2009 as a calendar year was worth looking at. Also note that DesertWeather’s data sensors are located about 4 miles east of Palm Springs. Seasonal averages noted here are from the National Weather Service for Palm Springs.

Click here for full post with chart: READ MORE » » » »

At 10:48am this morning a 5.8 earthquake hit Southern California. The epicenter was 22 miles southeast of Mexicali. It was felt by some in the Coachella Valley. The quake followed a few smaller events before the 5.8 event.

There has been 16 aftershocks so far (as of 12:15pm) and there are reports from local media of damage in the Mexicali area and also a report of structure damage.

For a list of southern California Earthquake see: http://www.desertweather.com/eqinfo.php

List of main event and the aftershocks:

 3.6  2009/12/30 12:06:52 32.435N 115.153W 29.5   41 km (26 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 3.4  2009/12/30 11:59:01 32.425N 115.171W 32.5   41 km (25 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.9  2009/12/30 11:58:23 32.464N 115.152W 34.9   39 km (24 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.8  2009/12/30 11:55:40 32.450N 115.172W 31.4   39 km (24 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.9  2009/12/30 11:51:16 32.499N 115.179W 24.4   35 km (22 mi) ESE of Calexico, CA
 2.6  2009/12/30 11:38:42 32.431N 115.150W 27.7   42 km (26 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.9  2009/12/30 11:35:29 32.472N 115.195W 12.5   36 km (22 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.8  2009/12/30 11:30:09 32.501N 115.184W 25.5   35 km (21 mi) ESE of Calexico, CA
 2.8  2009/12/30 11:26:46 32.459N 115.189W 27.1   37 km (23 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 3.2  2009/12/30 11:23:59 32.496N 115.214W  6.0   33 km (20 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 3.2  2009/12/30 11:21:18 32.307N 115.143W  3.5   52 km (32 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.7  2009/12/30 11:17:34 32.502N 115.171W  2.0   36 km (22 mi) ESE of Calexico, CA
 3.0  2009/12/30 11:12:21 32.388N 115.138W  0.8   46 km (28 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 4.0  2009/12/30 11:07:41 32.495N 115.205W  6.0   33 km (21 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 3.4  2009/12/30 11:04:51 32.385N 115.115W 35.0   48 km (30 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 4.8  2009/12/30 10:53:23 32.508N 115.210W  6.0   32 km (20 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 5.8  2009/12/30 10:48:57 32.467N 115.195W  6.0   36 km (22 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 2.6  2009/12/30 09:57:45 32.456N 115.174W 27.3   38 km (24 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA
 3.5  2009/12/30 09:54:13 32.448N 115.179W 15.0   38 km (24 mi) SE  of Calexico, CA

Today marks the first day of winter. Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky around winter solstice and from today, until summer solstice around June 21st, days will begin to grow longer and nights shorter.

Some preliminary information on the strong winter storm that drenched the valley today.

Rain Totals:

 CAZ061-080630-
 COACHELLA VALLEY-
 835 PM PST MON DEC 7 2009

 WHITEWATER TROUT FARM  1.77
       WIDE CANYON DAM  1.14
  PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT  1.48
       THERMAL AIRPORT  0.55
        CATHEDRAL CITY  0.94
        PALM DESERT 1S  1.49
            BEAR CREEK  0.63
        INDIO HILLS 9N  0.71
                 INDIO  0.59

Manual rain gauge readings across the valley:

Thousand Palms: 1.06 in.

Palm Desert (Cook & Fred Warning): 0.94 in.

Rancho Mirage (Bob Hope & Hwy 111): 1.01 in.

Desert Hot Springs: 1.44 in.

Rainfall records set:

 RECORD EVENT REPORT
 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
 925 PM PST TUE DEC 8 2009

 ...RECORD RAINFALL FOR DECEMBER 7...

 LOCATION           NEW RECORD       OLD RECORD      PERIOD OF RECORD

 LINDBERGH FIELD       1.56         1.15 IN 1992        SINCE 1850
 FULLERTON AIRPORT     0.80         0.42 IN 1972        SINCE 1948
 PALM SPRINGS AIRPORT  1.12         0.90 IN 1992        SINCE 1906
 ONTARIO INTL AIRPORT  1.07         0.53 IN 1966        SINCE 1951