“A fine rain was falling, and the landscape was that of autumn. The sky was hung with various shades of gray, and mists hovered about the distant mountains. A brood of chattering birds were chasing each other through the shrubberies. Every landscape is, as it were, a state of the soul, and whoever penetrates into both is astonished to find how much likeness there is in each detail.”

~ Henri Frederic Amiel, 19th Century Swiss philosopher & poet

How many storms does it take to make one inch of rain? This is not a riddle or a joke. The 2016-17 rain season may warrant celebration when the first inch of rain is measured. Thus far, I measure .75 collected from at least five storms.

After a slow start to the rain season – which began July 1 and will end next next year on June 30 – the beginning weeks of November don’t promise to change the status quo. A rather dry forecast is currently shown through Nov. 14 and the overall monthly prediction for Southern California is on the drier than normal side. Feeling a bit discouraged this forecast I decided to consult my weather-friend Bob Gregg.

Bob was the weather columnist for our then-local paper, The Ledger (published from 1930-81). He is also an observer for the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. Since I started writing for the CV Weekly, his meticulously detailed weather/climate statistics have proved invaluable to me. Thanks, Bob!

Bob Gregg lives in Whiting Woods, while I’m in La Crescenta. Our weather data is comparable, although my rain totals are usually higher. His observations for autumn are these: A year ago we had received over three inches of rain, compared to our current .83 inches. In 2004, the total was 9.74; in contrast, in 1955 and 1962 it was zero. According to Bob, October’s rains were normal.

La Niña has recently strengthened in the eastern Pacific Ocean and may cause cause a dry November. Our rainy season typically does not get underway until later – the very end of the year and the beginning of the new year. Let’s hope for a change to a wet pattern by then!

After a few warm and windy days, cooler temperatures are expected for the weekend. SLO County may get rain, but our forecast includes only gusty northerly winds.

Election Day Weather: High – 75 degrees, Low – 55 degrees, clear and sunny.

“Vote For Rain!”

Sue Kilpatrick is a

Crescenta Valley resident and

Official Skywarn Spotter for the

National Weather Service. Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.