After an unseasonably dry autumn, local residents are gearing up
for some overdue rain. And while many in the community may not
relish the thought of waterlogged roads and muddy lawns, San Benito
County farmers are looking forward to the annual deluge.
Hollister – After an unseasonably dry autumn, local residents are gearing up for some overdue rain. And while many in the community may not relish the thought of waterlogged roads and muddy lawns, San Benito County farmers are looking forward to the annual deluge.
“I’m sleeping a little better at night now,” said Joe Morris, a San Juan Bautista cattle rancher. “Rain brings new grass, and that’s a great Christmas present.”
Last weekend’s storm brought just over an inch of rain to San Benito County, and some neighboring Central Coast communities – like Watsonville – received nearly 3.5 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
“The rain in this area began a little late this year,” said Diana Henderson, forecaster with the National Weather Service. “So we’re sort of playing catch-up now. In fact, I’d say we were all caught up in one fell swoop this December.”
Local residents shouldn’t be surprised if they’re faced with a wet workweek starting today, says Henderson, but the weekend should clear up substantially – just in time for holiday travel. Christmas day in San Benito County looks to be partly cloudy, with a slight chance of rain, and temperatures in the mid-60s. The week after, however, will also bring showers to the community.
“This sort of weather is just right around this time of year,” said Paul Hain, San Benito County Farm Bureau president. “It’s enough to get the grass growing again and warm enough, so that keeps erosion down, too.”
Local farmers have been using the warm autumn to get a leg up on the rainy season – the dry weather provided extra time to dig flood ditches, prune trees and cover crops.
“In all my years of farming, we’re more ahead of the game now than we ever have been,” said local farmer Joe Tonascia. “Usually you’re trying to get work done in between rain storms, but this year we’re ready for it… we can just enjoy the free irrigation.”
For cattle ranchers, however, November was a time of worry. Without sufficient rain, cattle are unable to graze properly – sometimes at the cost of their health, according to Morris. This winter, however, Morris is anticipating the rain will result in fast growth among his cattle.
“We’re just trying to get all the maintenance done and keep an eye on things,” he said. “We’re hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.”
While Henderson does not believe San Benito County will see a particularly stormy season this year, she cautioned that it was still too early to tell for sure.
“Every year is different,” she said. “Some are wet and some are really dry, but so far it looks like this season is going to fall right in the middle.”
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or ds****@fr***********.com
