First-ever Rainless January In S.f. History

The month ended with a sun-drenched bang Saturday, an apropos ending for what was the driest January on record in San Francisco. Not one drop of measurable rain fell on city streets in January, the first time that’s happened in recorded weather history, which dates back to the Gold Rush. Other Bay Area cities, including San Jose, saw at most two one-hundredths of an inch during the same time, which was probably just real heavy fog with a drizzle rather than real rain, said Jan Null, former lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service and a meteorology consultant. Crowds gathered around the produce stands at Ferry Building farmers market, buying up flowers, carrots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables. Business was good, but the farmers couldn’t help but wonder about the future. Some of the growers were pulling land out of production because of the drought or relying on wells and other sources of water rather than the sky and the clouds. “We’re really concerned,” said apple grower Stan Devoto, owner of Devoto Gardens in Sebastopol. Most of his orchards are dry farmed, meaning they rely on rain rather than irrigation. Last year, he used a drip system on some trees to keep them alive. Yet even without a drop of rain in January, the Bay Area is officially above normal in rainfall for this time of year, Null said. The dry weather has increased concerns over the state’s ongoing drought. Water conservation folks hope the record dry January will remind people to conserve and spur communities to consider water recycling and recapturing programs.