A dry beginning

Don't panic just yet, but we're behind even last year's paltry rain total.

According to the Tracy Press rain guage, this rain season (which began in July) we've had 2.25 inches of the wet stuff. Last year at this date, we had 2.84 inches.

In the Sierra it's a little different. The California Department of Water Resources just took its first snow measurement of the year, and we're beating last year in the high country — we're at 76 percent of normal, compared to 60 percent at this time in 2008.

Of course, we're still well below normal, and officials say it'll take a truly above-average snow year to pull California out of its drought.

So maybe it is time to panic. And step up the rain dancing.