Community Corner

Dublin Experiences Driest Year on Record

2013 was one of the driest years on record.

If you're feeling a little parched as this year comes to a close, there's a reason.

On Tuesday, Dublin -- and the rest of Northern California -- finished 2013 with the driest rainfall year on record.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported its rain gauges on Mount Diablo recorded 6.56 inches of precipitation while Livermore reported a mere 4.50 inches for 2013.

The normal average total for the devil mountain is over 25 inches and Livermore should average about 15.23 inches.

Mt. Diablo's 2013 readings were also more than 2 inches below the previous record of 8.91 set in 1976.

The lack of rainfall caused hundreds of wild pigs from Mt. Diablo to upturn lush lawns across the Tri-Valley in search for food.

At Tassajara Hills Elementary in Danville, wild pigs destroyed the school's newly-completed track field -- a project that took upwards of $40,000 to generate and three years to complete.

[Related: Wild Pigs Find their Way to Danville]

NOAA officials said there were record dry years at all 27 of its Bay Area stations. The agency has been keeping records since 1917.

As low as the rainfall was in 2013, the Livermore area still fared better than most of the other regions.

The lowest on the NOAA list was Gilroy, which received 2.56 inches of rain this year. That's 12 percent of normal and more than 8 inches below its previous record of 11.18 inches.

Oakland received 4.24 inches of rain, 18 percent of normal and well below the previous record of 10.02 inches.

The only two areas with more than 10 inches were Muir Woods and Occidental in the North Bay.

Muir Woods received 12.69 inches, 33 percent of normal. Occidental got 15.45 inches, 27 percent below its normal of 56 inches per year.


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