Sonoma’s rainfall now 201% of normal

The recent storms have lifted the rainfall total in Sonoma to 31.50 inches to date for the season, 201% of normal. In a normal season, Sonoma receives 31.36 inches of rain, but that total has been exceeded with half the season yet to come. Only 15.65 inches would have fallen at this point in the wet season, according to historical norms.

While a dry spell is expected to begin next week, until then the area forecast is for rain – on and off- over the next four or five days, at times heavy. Flash flood warnings have been issued repeatedly for Sonoma and Sonoma Valley over the past few weeks, and commuters have had to cope with the closure of Hwy. 37. Until a sustained break in the storms, the risk of road closures, flooding and mud slides remains high.

The drought in Northern California has officially been declared over, but few forecasters anticipated the copious rainfall this year.