MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY
By Laura Edwards
Western Regional Climate Center
October 2005

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Troughiness was once again prominent across the state in October 2005. A lot of precipitation fell in the Southland mid-month, while the North remained high and dry with less than 50% of average precipitation at most stations, with some areas reporting as low as single-digit percentages. Statewide, 154% of average precipitation fell, heavily weighted by some southern stations. Temperatures straddled the average mark statewide with an average temperature of 60.0, just 0.6 degrees below the long-term average. The monthly statewide maximum temperature was 72.8 for October, 1.5 degrees below average, and the minimum was 47.1, or 0.3 degrees above average.

Precipitation was the story of the month, with the National Weather Service reporting 19 daily precipitation records met or broken. In comparison, the NWS reported 11 record lows and 6 record highs over October's 31 days. Most of the low temperature records occurred early in the month where short waves came trucking in one after the other. Some records include 38 at Sandberg on the 4th, 43 at Santa Barbara on the 5th, and San Luis Obispo tying the previously set 44 degree low on the 7th. Fresno and Bakersfield both experienced double-digit drops in the high temperatures from the 1st to 2nd.

High temperatures peaked in the Southland mid-month, ahead of the first significant storm of the water year. Wild Animal Park set a record on the 14th with 99 degrees, but other stations recorded their last 90+ degree days during this time, including Fresno and Bakersfield. The rains started falling on October 16th, with records being broken at New Cuyama and Torrance, and tied at Lancaster. Over the 17th-18th, some flash flooding was reported in the southern regions, and a number more records were broken, including on the 17th: Palmdale (2.15"), Sandberg (2.50"), Thermal (1.70") and Burbank (1.51"). On the 18th, records included: Sandberg (1.30"), Lancaster (0.68") and Palmdale (0.49"). As a result of this system, most stations reported 2-5 times their normal October total precipitation,with Thermal and Palm Springs reporting 1486% and 1655% of average.

The first winter storm came to the Sierra Nevada late in the month, and brought just a few inches of snow to the mountains. The Department of Water Resources' 8-Station Index of the Northern Sierra tallied just 1.50" of rain and snow water content for October, making for a slow start to the 2006 water year.


Page last updated 12/15/05.