I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high, but I’m a hopeful person by nature. The local paper says “Chance of Rain” over the next three days. It’s cooler today; breezy too with clouds coming and going. It feels like rain for the first time in weeks. I’m ready!
Here are the current stats for San Jose:
- Rainfall month to date: 0.01″
- Normal month to date: 2.63″
- Season to date: 1:57″
- Normal season to date: 7.64″
According to International Business Times:
California is facing a severe water crisis, and experts fear it could get worse. Climatologists report that the 2013-2014 rainfall season is well on its way to becoming California’s driest period in more than 400 years. The country’s most populous state is entering its third year of record-low rainfall, and now scientists are raising the alarm that “megadroughts,” which haven’t been seen in hundreds of years, could be just around the corner.
By all accounts, the weather is off kilter around the globe. We’re desperate for rain, while others have too much. The east coast has record lows, the Canadian prairies have an early and heavy winter and New Zealand is only now seeing true summer days.
Is this the new normal?
Meanwhile, please enjoy the talented Gene Kelly, singing and dancing in the rain in one of my favorite movie scenes of all times.
Gardening Nirvana 
This is so funny! I played my “rainy day” music for my chair exercise class on Monday. I figured maybe it would work like washing your car does. 😉
Happy stomping through puddles to you!
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That is funny. We’re all hoping for that rain. You’ll hear me singing at the top of my lungs all the way over there, MINIgirl.
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I know where you can get a boatload of snow right now! I hope you get some rain, Alys. We’re dealing with near-record lows. Clint has to work in a big metal building with no climate control. He’s miserable, as are my dogs because Mommy won’t take them outside.
Alicia
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My heart goes out to you. It’s miserable being that cold. We watch all the weather reports from around the country. Extremes everywhere. Our governor declared a state of emergency to qualify for federal funds. 80% of our state’s water goes to agriculture.
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I hope…I hope…I hope. Poor brown landscape. Poor sad ranchers. Let it rain!
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Yes indeed. Thank you.
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Excellent video Alys! You must immediately organise all Californians to gather in the streets with their umbrellas held high and voices at the ready to sing as tunefully and fully as possible ‘Singin’ In the Rain’!! If accompanied by much imaginary sploshing about in puddles it cannot fail to work. Feel the rain people, see it, feel it, touch it, taste it and it will come…….. Really Alys, I don’t know why you hadn’t thought of this earlier 🙂
We have just happily entered our third [or is it our fourth] day of climbing temperatures and are now complaining that it is far too hot….. And it is just about the right timing too don’t you think – the NZ rain has made its way across the Pacific to reach your parched shores……. Enjoy!!
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You make me smile!
I’ve loved this video since I was a child: the music, the singing, the dancing and the way it makes me happy.
Yes, it looks like our exchange worked out well. If all goes according to plan, I’ll wake up to the sound of the rain and you can let me know how hot it is.
Mwaaaaaa xox
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Gotta love Gene! I’ll keep my fingers crossed that rain comes your way 🙂
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Thanks, Eleenie!
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We were expecting BIG rain that turned into more drizzle than anything and the wind is drying it out. I think the planet is starting to tilt sideways from the way the weather is acting. Makes you want to take a tanker truck to the east coast and bring back some rain or snow. We ship gas and oil, why not the water where there is too much? I’m just asking.
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It’s a good question and one we may be posing soon, not just rhetorically. It’s probably not cost-effective (consider gas at $3 to $4 a gallon) but I’ve often thought the same thing: why can’t we spread our resources around.
Sorry to hear your storm fizzled. Funny, I just wrote a blog post called Drizzle, Fizzle. Serendipity!
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That’s a good idea Marlene has there. We might have to give up some things just to survive. It’s a real conundrum when the economy in California is tied to farming and they use way more than their share of water. Might have to diversify and plant more arid tolerant produce. Apparently, Cotton is a giant water consumer too. Bamboo is more sensible. I sure hope the forecast comes thru for you. It’s very scary. Mr B says I worry too much. But even Edmonton had above seasonal temps last week. 9C in January is crazy for us. Luckily the mountains at home still got tons of snow this year, but the trick is for it to melt slowly to avert a repeat of the Calgary disaster last year. Apparently Tahoe hasn’t had much snow at all this year. One thing we’ll consider for building a house is a cistern in the yard to collect rain water. But then again, you have to have rain to fill it. I’ll cross my fingers…come on San Jose rain!
On the other hand, it’s not suppose to rain here and it has for 3 days :P…what in the world?
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You are so right! Bamboo is a wonder plant in my opinion. It can be made into the softest of fabrics and the hardest of floors. It’s cheaper to grow and uses less water. It’s technically a weed.
We cling to the familiar, often to our own detriment. Something has to give.
Great, thoughtful comments, my dear.
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Anytime bestie 😀 I wonder if the farmers there are considering diversifying? It’s not their fault really. I’m guilty of buying strawberries in the market in January. As a consumer I contribute to their desire to keep growing when it should really be more seasonal. As a kid, there seemed to be apples or bananas in the winter in Canada. Never the variety we enjoy now. I should buy more seasonal fruits and vegetables.
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I know that a lot of people are moving towards eating in season. It makes sense on many levels as I learned reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. We pay for the cost of fuels to transport food, plus the refrigeration and often get bland tasting food since they’ve been harvested too early.
We had very little fresh fruit as kids. Things have changed so much in that regard.
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Gene Kelly was my favorite!! and I love this movie and this number in particular.
My fingers are crossed for rain out your way!
Everytime someone complains about rain, I mention the word drought. Scary, scary word.
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Really!? What fun to have that in common. He was remarkable, wasn’t he, a true triple-threat.
Thank you for crossed fingers. We had a light rain overnight, but the three days of promised rain shrunk down to two. Not even enough to form a puddle.
Yes, drought is a scary word…and becoming a reality as these dry days continue.
Thanks, Laurie.
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