Drought in Southern San Joaquin Valley, California

In Bakersfield (Southern San Joaquin Valley)...just 0.13 inches of rain fell tying with December in 1976 and 1903 as the 10th driest December on record. Six Decembers had no rainfall. In Fresno (Central SJV)... only 0.03 inches fell and it was the 3rd driest on record. The rainy season total had only 0.52 inches by the end of December which was the 3rd driest season start and eclipsed only by 1917 with 0.49" and 1929 with 0.51". Fresno has had only 6 years in which at least one inch of rain had not fallen by the end of December. Interior Central California mountain snow packs reflected the much below normal rainfall on the adjacent San Joaquin Valley floor.