Only about an inch of rain fell in Sacramento during January. Normally, the city gets about four inches of rain in January.
Historically, dry Januarys, such as the one Sacramento has just experienced, are associated with dry water years, according to the National Weather Service.
There are exceptions, forecasters note. January 1889 posted the second lowest January rainfall for Sacramento when just .15 of an inch fell.
However, the total water year of 1988-89 amounted to a near normal of 19.95 inches.
The wettest month ever recorded in Sacramento was a January. That occurred in 1862 when 15.04 inches fell in one month.
The total was recorded before government weather watchers handled the meteorological duties. Rainfall records in 1862 were kept by two Sacramento physicians. The weather service considers their record-keeping reliable.
The NWS forecast for the upcoming week in Sacramento:
Today: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. Light and variable wind.
Tonight: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 37. Light north wind.
Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.
Saturday night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Sunday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 36.
Monday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.
Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Thursday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.
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