Sacramento just set a record for longest stretch without rain. When will the streak end?
Sacramento is now officially in its longest dry spell ever, breaking a record that stood for more than 140 years.
Thursday marked 195 consecutive days without measurable rainfall (0.01 inch or more) downtown, the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said this week. It last rained more than a trace amount on March 19.
The previous record of 194 days happened from March to November of 1880, the weather service said.
The current record will continue for at least a few more days. Forecasts show no chance of rain through the weekend or early next week, as high temperatures hover around 90 degrees to start October. There is a slight chance of showers next Thursday.
Friday also marked the beginning of the 2022 water year, after an “abysmal” 2021, the NWS Sacramento office tweeted. Precipitation in Sacramento from Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30 came in at just 41% of normal.
California is in a severe drought. Gov. Gavin Newsom in July expanded a drought emergency to include 50 of the state’s 58 counties, covering everywhere but San Francisco and urban Southern California.
The 2021 water year was California’s second-driest ever recorded, according to the state Department of Water Resources. The state also broke records for the warmest average monthly temperature in October, June and July, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Reservoirs across the state enter the new water year at very low levels, entering the 2022 water year at 60% of their historic average, down from 93% last year.
Hot, dry conditions caused nearly 80% of their water to either evaporate or be absorbed into the soil, state water regulators said.
This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 8:27 AM.
