Every October, California enters a new water year with one big question…

What will the next 12 months bring?

Will it be dry?

Wet?

Somewhere in between?

Last fall, outlooks were all over the map. 

La Niña, drought, atmospheric rivers — the chatter covered every angle, yet the only consensus was uncertainty.

Amidst the speculation, Weather Tools’ California Annual Precipitation (CAP) forecast, issued November 7, 2024, offered a clear signal:

A near-normal year at 90–110% of average.

Now, with just weeks left in the water year, precipitation totals as of today sit at 94% of average. 

Right inside CAP’s range. 

That makes nine consecutive years of verified accuracy.

For water managers and growers, having a trusted forecast in November to guide planning is a game-changer.

Do you want to know what Jimmy Nichols of Nichols Farms and Tim Johnson of the California Rice Commission have to say about it?

Then read the full story here: California’s Water Year: Looking Back, Looking Ahead, and Preparing for Extremes

The Weather Tools Team