State hopes for sunny spring after storms
Californians are tired. Tired of the rain, tired of the snow, tired of stormy weather and the cold, relentlessly gray skies that have clouded the Golden State nearly nonstop since late December.
With spring now underway, the state’s 39 million residents are hopeful for sunnier days ahead. But this week’s atmospheric river — the 12th such storm here since late December — had other plans.
The powerful systems dump huge amounts of rain and snow as they bring massive plumes of Pacific moisture into California. They have already wreaked havoc across the state, with a death toll rising as communities dig out and floodwaters recede. High winds toppled trees, snowfall stranded mountain communities and storm surges inundated coastal towns with no end in sight.
Californians initially welcomed the precipitation and chilly temperatures after a record-hot summer and yearslong drought that included the driest January through March on record in 2022. But the atmospheric rivers busted the drought in two-thirds of the state and broke precipitation records along the way.
In San Diego — famed for its 72-and-sunny climate — this week’s high temperatures hover around 60 F to 61 F. The average high is 67 F, said National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Moede.
And San Diego has already recorded nearly 5 more inches of rain than normal since the water year began in October, Moede said.
All that rainfall has hurt San Diego’s beachfront businesses: Surf schools are slowing down, boardwalk vendors are bored, the usual sun-worshipping locals are staying home.
“We depend on the sunshine,” said Duncan Taylor, who works at a surf-inspired clothing store called Sun Diego Boardshop. “We depend on people coming out and having a good time at the beach.”
Noe Reyes closed up his stand in Mission Beach early Tuesday after too much rain and too few customers. He needs tourists to buy hoodies, souvenirs and drinks, but an empty promenade doesn’t make money.
“It’s been rough,” he said. “There’s no one out here, not even locals.”