A large thunderstorm that moved along the foothills Monday evening over Lindsay, then Strathmore and finally Porterville gave the Orange Belt the most rainfall out of Monday’s storm.
Amounts vary with some areas west of town easily receiving more than a quarter of an inch from the downpour that began about 5:30 moving south until it struck Porterville about 6:10 p.m.
Fields west of Road 224 in some areas were flooded as the torrential rainfall lasted for more than 15 minutes. However, other areas received less than a tenth of an inch.
Brent Gill who lives above River Island, reported he measured 0.38 of an inch of rain, 0.24 of that after dark.
Greg Chadwell, a local weather observer, measured just .04 for the entire day at his site on North Grand Avenue. The National Weather Service in Hanford said just 0.07 of an inch was measured at the Porterville Airport.
The massive thunderstorm also brought lightning and thunder and the threat of lightning postponed the water polo match at Monache High School. Numerous power pole problems were reported throughout the county from the first real winter storm of the season.
At Ponderosa Lodge above Porterville, about 10 inches of snow fell with about 6 inches still on the ground Tuesday.
Weather Service meteorologist Dan Harty said we have definitely gone from summer and fall to fall and winter.
“This is that time of year we transition into a wet pattern,” he said, adding the next chance of rain is at least a week away. This weekend is expected to be sunny with a high of about 70 in Porterville.
The rain delayed harvesting in some areas, but mostly just washed the dust out of the area. The rain and colder temperatures were definitely welcomed by citrus growers who are just beginning the navel orange harvest. The rain adds size and the cooler weather adds color to the fruit.
The rain is also beneficial to olives, but does hurt alfalfa and cotton growers, although much of the cotton has been picked and rainfall in most areas was too little to do any damage to the cotton. Harty said most areas got less than a tenth of an inch of rain, most less than five-hundredths of an inch.
Rainfall was heavier in the foothills and mountains, although it did not change the meager inflow into Success Lake that still has less than 5,000 acre feet of water in storage.
However, the storm did allow the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument to end to fire restrictions.
Campfires and charcoal barbecues are now allowed anywhere unless posted. Also allowed are stoves and lanterns with shut-off valves that use gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel. In all cases, the visitor must possess a valid California Campfire Permit.
Rainfall for the weather year — July 1 through June 30 — now stands at just .08 in Porterville, said Chadwell. Average rainfall in Porterville by the end of October is 1.03 inches.
“Last significant rain was in March,” said Chadwell. “We’re due now.”
