NYT Special California Fires reporting

[Jaz2]

The year-end fires sweeping Southern California this week have raised a worrisome question: Where is the rain?

The rainy season typically starts in October and lasts through April, with the heaviest rain coming from December through March.

Since Oct. 1 just 2.3 inches have fallen in Los Angeles, or 5 percent of average. In San Diego, it’s 1.5 inches, or 1 percent of average, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

That lack of precipitation is one reason fires have exploded across Southern California this week, officials said.

It is too soon to ring any drought alarm bells. Still, the memory of the long, punishing drought that ended last year — the worst in this state’s modern history — remains fresh. And a report earlier this week by...

NYTimes Special Calfornis Fires reporting

[DS]

Their statistics are framed in a VERY misleading way.

2.3" is actually NORMAL for this time of year (that is, we are on track to reach 100% of average total precipitation by the end of the rainy season)

If 2.3 inches is 5% of average for this point in time, then according to this logic we would expect 46" of rain by this time...but total average annual total rain in LA is about 15"!! The logic just isn't there.

Don't believe everything you read!

[SBitz]

We need to update that old song with the stanza, "Let it RAIN, let it rain let it rain."