Merced County sees record rainfall from storm, though wet weather’s not expected to last

The weekend rainstorm that swept the San Joaquin Valley and Northern California brought record-breaking rain to Merced, forecasters said, although the precipitation is not expected to last.

The Merced Regional Airport received about 1.51 inches of rain from Sunday through Monday, according to Bill South, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford.

The last time Merced received that much rain on Oct. 25 was in 1919, when the city reported .41 inches, South said.

Meanwhile, the Yosemite area received 3.74 inches of rain from Sunday through Monday, while the Los Banos region reported .98 inches.

Jennifer Flachman, spokesperson for the City of Merced, said most of the city’s flooding was typical due to debris in storm drains, but those blockages were cleared quickly.

The storm also downed trees and branches throughout the region. City crews were out throughout the night and into the morning, addressing the situation.

The rain in Merced County isn’t going to last, however. The National Weather Service said a dry stretch would likely begin Tuesday and continue for the next six days.

Tuesday will see highs of around 64, and temperatures are expected to warm up during the week.