2013 Rainfall in Albany Area 1/4 of Normal, Driest on Record

If you're feeling a little parched as this year comes to a close, there's a reason.

On Tuesday, the Albany vicinity -- and the rest of Northern California -- finished 2013 with the driest rainfall year on record.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported its rain gauges in Berkeley recorded 6.76 inches of precipitation for 2013, which is 25 percent of normal and far below the previous record low of 9.92 inches set in 1929.

Richmond saw 6.47 inches this year – 26 percent of normal and substantially below the earlier record low of 8.98 inches set in the drought year of 1976.

NOAA officials said there were record dry years at all 27 of its Bay Area stations. The agency has been keeping records since 1917.

The lowest on the NOAA list was Gilroy, which received 2.56 inches of rain this year. That's 12 percent of normal and more than 8 inches below its previous record low of 11.18 inches.

Oakland received 4.24 inches of rain, 18 percent of normal and well below the previous record of 10.02 inches.

The only two areas with more than 10 inches were Muir Woods and Occidental in the North Bay.

Muir Woods received 12.69 inches, 33 percent of normal. Occidental got 15.45 inches, 27 percent below its normal of 56 inches per year.