Dr. Owen Bateson, Susanville’s resident meteorological expert, checks in today with a look at some alarmingly dry moisture totals.
According to Bateson this is the driest January, February, March and April period that he has recorded since 1980. The National Weather Service in Reno has noted this year as the driest in the past 100 years.
“We have only had 24% of our average rainful since January 1st,” explains Bateson, “April was only 45% of average at .53 inches and we are now down to 102% of average for the year to date.”
Dr. Bateson measured Eagle lake last weekend at 5.25 inches above the 5,095 f00t benchmark – only 7.8 inches higher than it was last August – and now it is just over a foot higher than its lowest point at the end of October 2012.
