Record the Rain

The central coast of California has a Mediterranean climate, which means it experiences prolonged periods of dry weather from summer to fall, followed by rain in the winter and spring. On average, Morro Bay receives about 17 inches of rain annually, with roughly 75% of that (about 13 inches) falling between December and March.

Because precipitation is rare in this area, it’s important to closely track the rain when and where it occurs. Our Record the Rain program gives us a “hyperlocal” picture of where rain is falling in our watershed, and how much we are receiving each time it rains.

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Join the Network

Joining our rain gauge network is easy! Click through the slides below to learn how.

1. Pick a rain gauge
You can pick up an Estuary Program rain gauge at our office (email staff@mbnep.org to arrange pickup), or use a rain gauge you already have at home.
2. Install your rain gauge
To get the most accurate results, install your gauge in an open area away from overhangs, gutters, and runoff.
3. Note rainfall amount
Whenever it rains, make a note of how much rain collects in your gauge. It is best to do this once per day.
4. Enter rainfall totals below
Enter your rainfall totals for each day on this website, using the submission form at the bottom of the page. Make sure to select the correct date for each measurement.
5. Watch your new data pop up in the table below!
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Watershed Sections

Use the map below to determine which part of the watershed you live in.

North Morro Bay

Choose this section if you are in Morro Bay, north of the intersection of Highway 1 and Main St. This area drains to Estero Bay, outside of the Morro Bay estuary.

Morro Bay

Choose this section if you are located in Morro Bay, south of the intersection of Highway 1 and Main St. This area drains directly into the Morro Bay estuary.

Los Osos

Choose this section if you are located in Los Osos or Baywood, west of Los Osos Creek. This area drains directly into the Morro Bay estuary.

San Bernardo Creek

Choose this section if you are located closer to San Bernardo Creek than you are to downtown Morro Bay.

San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek

Choose this section if you are located near San Luisito Creek, Walter’s Creek, Chumash, Creek, or Pennington Creek.

Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek

Choose this section if you are located near Dairy Creek or Chorro Creek.

Los Osos Valley Road Corridor

Choose this section if you are located south of Highway 1 and outside of Morro Bay, Los Osos, and San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo

Choose this section if you are located in San Luis Obispo.

Enter your rain gauge data into the form below. Be sure to enter the date that it rained, not the date of submission.

Past 7 days Past 30 days Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 0.00 0.90 1.07 0.84 1.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Morro Bay 0.00 0.58 0.48 0.46 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos 0.00 0.00 1.30 4.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 1.18 1.10 1.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.40 0.00
Morro Bay 1.04 0.84 0.67 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.00
Los Osos 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00
Morro Bay 0.10 0.00 0.42 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.45 0.00
Los Osos 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 2.23 0.20 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.25 0.25 0.00
Morro Bay 1.72 0.20 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 0.13 0.00
Los Osos 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 4.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 0.00 0.00 0.71 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40 0.00
Morro Bay 0.30 0.00 0.65 0.55 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.00
Los Osos 0.00 0.00 0.25 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 0.85 0.58 0.65 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.93 0.73
Morro Bay 0.55 0.45 0.37 0.00 0.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.20 0.91
Los Osos 0.35 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.49 0.32
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.93 0.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
North Morro Bay 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.45 1.48 0.54
Morro Bay 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.15 0.63 0.25
Los Osos 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.42 0.42 0.34
San Bernardo Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
San Luisito Creek to Pennington Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Dairy Creek to Chorro Creek 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Los Osos Valley Road Corridor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.65 0.00 0.00
San Luis Obispo 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00