Rain expected to return to the Central Coast

The Central Coast saw record-breaking temperatures Monday. But after weeks of clear, sunny skies, rain is on the way.

It’s been an unusually warm February and as it comes to an end, meteorologists are predicting a wet start to March.

Residents in Monterey are excited about the possibility of rain.

“When it rains, we get tons of water, as everyone knows. When it rains hard you see it just running down the street,” said resident Mark Watson.

For Watson, collecting rain water is a way of life. He has rain barrels in the front yard and backyard and garbage cans on stand-by to collect the overflow.
But he said his rain barrels have seen better months.

“Since February, it’s been pretty slim,” said Watson.

February has been hot and dry. Beaches have been packed with visitors soaking up the California sun.

“It’s pretty much the talk of the town. El Nino is supposed to bring lots of rain this year and it hasn’t really materialized yet. Where is the rain? How about our drought? All those questions have been coming out,” said meteorologist Brian Garcia with the National Weather Service.

Garcia said while the weather in February wasn’t normal, it’s not uncommon for El Nino to peak in March and bring heavy rain into spring.

“We have seen this before — in 1957 and 1958, when El Nino actually peaked in mid-March right on through the beginning of April,” said Garcia.

And he said don’t get comfortable with the warm weather right now, as things are going to change this week with a series of storms heading our way.

“El Nino is still going. It has begun to weaken across the Central Pacific but it’s still a strong El Nino and it still going to show its impacts,” said Garcia.

Which is great news for rain collectors like Watson.

“I am making room in the rain barrels for the rain to come, and that’s always a gamble. Is it just going to be a sprinkle? Or is it going to be enough rain to fill up my barrels?” asked Watson.