The Rain Helped

The Bay Area is expected to get a reprieve from wet weather for at least the next week after a long rainy stretch, a National Weather Service forecaster said this morning.

There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the Bay Area today, National Weather Service forecaster Diana Henderson said.

But after today, no rain is expected in the region until at least Wednesday, Henderson said.

The recent period of wet weather has helped the Bay Area approach what is close to average precipitation.

About 15.6 inches of rain has fallen in San Francisco since July 1, which is about 89 percent of the city's average by this time of year, Henderson said.

About 16.8 inches has fallen in Oakland, or about 94 percent of that city's average, while San Jose has gotten about 10.7 inches of rain, or 95 percent of its normal amount, according to Henderson.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Friday due to the state's third consecutive year of drought, and said he could institute mandatory water rationing if conditions did not improve by the end of March.