Posted July 1, 2005, 2:30 PM.

Fallbrook led the way with 37.44", setting a local record. Murrieta recorded 37.21", Temecula 32.63", and Hemet 30.76". Four other weather stations were not running the entire rain season, but all received very significant amounts of rainfall, even Lake Elsinore with 14.22", which has only been operating since January 22nd.

The rain started early, with record October rains. Locally, Fallbrook had the most October rainfall with 7.70" recorded. Significant precipitation was also recorded in December, January and February. Flooding caused millions of dollars of damage in northern San Diego and southwestern Riverside counties in January and February.

This season's wet weather followed years of drought in the region. The last wet year was 1997-1998. The low point of the drought was 2001-2002, when only 3.87" fell in Temecula.

The rainfall from this past year will skew normal results calculations for WeatherCurrents' Temecula site. Prior to this year, the normal to date total was too low, due to not enough years completed (only three) and the predominance of drought years. With four years now recorded, Temecula's average is 15.26". A predicted actual season normal is between 12" and 14". Not enough years are recorded yet for any of WeatherCurrents other weather sites to make similar calculations.

The rain season runs from July 1st to June 30th.