Rain, Rain, So Badly Needed in So Cal.

View to the North Including a Portion of My Neighbor's Acreage and the Hills in the Distance, With Rain Falling
©2010 PK Hawk

We in the Inland Empire, of Southern California may finally have hopes that our ten to twelve year drought may be coming to an end.  The rain we have had this season is about the earliest and the most rain we have has this early in the season in many years.  The rains we got last winter actually were very important, but even though we got a decent soaking, it was not enough to really break the drought.

The ground water levels have been seriously lower than usual, and many people have even allowed their lawns to die out to conserve water, and to save on their water bills which are inflated to discourage wasteful water use.

Photo taken facing N/E with rain still falling
at about 3:00 PM Today
©2010 PK Hawk

This is a semi-rural area and does not have concrete curbs, allowing water to flow freely onto property along the road that may be lower than the the road.  Many people on this street are at a lower elevation than their neighbors, which also allows water from the higher properties to flow onto and through those properties which are lower, all the way down the street.                  

Though the rains may be somewhat troublesome, we are happy to be receiving our rain in gentle enough showers to allow for more soaking in, than flooding and runoff.  With the rain coming as it has been from this storm, it has made for some pleasant nights sleep, hearing the pitter patting on the roof, and overhangs.

Property of another neighbor beyond where
the truck was in the other photo
©2010 PK Hawk

I don't mind at all having to skim the fallen leaves and twigs from my pool where my pond fish are either.  I really do love rain, and I hope it continues as long as it isn't so heavy that it causes serious flooding.

I understand that this storm has caused some damage in the "burn areas" of Los Angeles County, and that they are getting pounded pretty heavily in other areas of Southern California, like Moreno Valley and San Bernardino County.  We may end up getting more heavy rains than we have so far received, but come what may, we can only deal with whatever comes our way.  Right?

When all is said and done, and the rains stop, the local mountains should have at least some snow, even though this is not nearly as cold a storm as the last one was.  These storms are coming in from the westward lying coast instead of from the north, so we won't get nearly as much snowpack as we might like.  However, any snow is better than none at all.