This weekend’s rainstorm was more typical of winter storm, when the jet stream drops south and conveys cold and low pressure across Southern California. About an inch of rain fell throughout the San Jacinto Mountains and temperatures Sunday and Monday fell enough that many long-time residents resorted to firewood to restore warmth.
The U.S. Forest Service’s Keenwild Ranger Station recorded about 0.45 inches of rain from Sunday through Monday night. Bringing the total since July 1 to 5.3 inches, which is more than twice the long-term average of 2.35 inches of rain through September.
About half an inch was recorded at the Idyllwild Fire Station during Sunday’s downpour and slightly more than 0.8 inches at the Town Crier from Sunday through Monday night.
Farther north more rain fell, in Pine Cove, more than 1.1 inches fell, bringing the rain year total to 5.7 inches also. The Alandale USFS station recorded 1.06 inches and Vista Grande received almost an inch.
Even without any precipitation in October, the totals at Keenwild and Pine Cove still exceed the historic average for rain from July through October, which is 3.4 inches of rain.
The Monday El Niño forecast from the National Weather Service has not changed from its 95 percent chance of an El Niño that will continue through the winter and into spring 2016. However, several indicators have strengthened in the past two weeks.
