Rain, rain don't go away!

Wow, how I love this rain. After living in western Washington and England where it seemed the rain didn't stop, I never dreamed I would make a statement like that. But California is unique. Dry summers have become dry spring, summer and fall lately. I recall a few recent winters when the rain came in deluges for weeks on end. I know there can be too much of a good thing, but not this year. In fact, this may turn out to be one of our driest spells on record. I have pasted below a report from the state Department of Water Resources. Maybe we should get together for a rain dance?

"As of January 1, 2009, statewide hydrologic conditions were as follows: precipitation, 90 percent of average to date; runoff, 40 percent of average to date; and reservoir storage, 70 percent of average for the date. Water Year 2009 is turning out dry like the 2 previous years. For the Northern Sierra 8-Station Precipitation Index, there is now only approximately a 15 percent chance of recovery to normal conditions (50 inches) by the end of the water year. Assuming average rainfall for the remainder of the season (February through September), the 8-Station Index would have a seasonal total of 40.9 inches. This means, assuming these conditions, that the total seasonal rainfall for the 8-stations for the last three water years would be 113.0 inches, making this the eighth driest 3-year span for the period of record (since 1923)." California Department of Water Resources.