How much rain has Fresno seen this weekend, and is it time to put the umbrella away?
The winter storm sweeping through Central and Northern California that has dumped heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada over the past 48 hours also dropped a good amount of rain in the central San Joaquin Valley.
There had been 0.89 inches of rain at the Fresno Air Terminal as of late Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. With rainfall from this storm, Fresno — while well behind its annual rainfall totals — is ahead of normal since Oct. 1.
“Fresno since Jan. 1 has had 4.40 inches of rain and we should have 9.67,” said Jim Bagnall, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford. “We’re behind; not quite at half of where we should be.
“For the water year, beginning Oct. 1, we’ve had 3.21 inches of rain and normal is 1.90 so as far as the wet season or the water year, we’re starting off ahead of normal. At this time last year we were 1.89 inches, so right near normal.”
Elsewhere around the Valley:
Cedar Grove: 2.48 inches
Stockton Metro Airport: 1.74 inches
Modesto County Airport: 1.38 inches
Merced Regional Airport: 1.13 inches
Hanford Municipal Airport: 0.66 inches
Kettleman Hills: 0.66 inches
Madera Municipal Airport: 0.55 inches
Lemoore Naval Air Station: 0.54 inches
Porterville Municipal Airport: 0.26 inches
Delano Municipal Airport: 0.23 inches
More rain and a chance of thunderstorms remain in the forecast Sunday afternoon and evening, with additional storms on the way later in the week.
“We might get some more showers and thunderstorms into (Sunday night),” Bagnall said. “We’re looking at a little bit more and then, maybe, Thursday night and Friday there’s another storm possibly heading our way.
“That could bring us another couple of tenths of rain toward the end of the week, again, Friday night, Saturday and into Sunday, another weekend storm.”
Snow continues to force chain rules into effect
In the mountains east of Fresno, China Peak was reporting between 40 to 56 inches of snow had fallen in the past 24 hours.
The California Highway Patrol at 1 p.m. Sunday required all vehicles, including those with all-wheel drive, to carry chains or cables on State Route 168 at Cressman Road and on the 180 at Milwood Road.
Travelers on I-5, 58 could face delays
Forecasters warned of snow possibly causing travel delays along popular routes toward Los Angeles and Las Vegas from Sunday night into Monday afternoon.
In each case, the Weather Service said it appeared light dustings were in store at 3,000 feet and above along Interstate 5 toward the Grapevine and Tejon Pass and on Highway 58 through the Tehachapi Pass.
Snow amounts will be around one inch on the 58 and up to two inches on I-5, the Weather Service tweeted.
“Travel delays are conceivable. If traveling, allow extra time to reach your destination.”
This story was originally published December 11, 2022 at 12:15 PM.