Occidental, California

Occidental is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sonoma County, California, United States. The population was 1,115 at the 2010 census, down from 1,272 at the 2000 census.HistoryFounded in 1876, Occidental was a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad connecting Cazadero to the Sausalito ferry. In return for donating right-of-way to the railroad, a local landowner named "Dutch Bill" Howards received a lifetime railway pass, and the station was named after him.The railway caused a rapid expansion of the timber industry, and by 1877 there were six sawmills in the Occidental area. Trains also brought vacationers from San Francisco.GeographyOccidental has a total area of 4.97sqmi, all land.ClimateThe cooperative National Weather Service station reports that Occidental has cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.Average January temperatures range from 41.8°F to 54.5°F and average July temperatures range from to 77.9°F. The record highest temperature was 103°F on July 22, 2006, and the record lowest temperature was 28°F on March 11, 2006. There are an average of 12.8 afternoons with highs of 90°F or higher and an average of 2.1 mornings with lows of 32°F or lower.Average annual rainfall is 55.19in. The wettest “rain year” was from July 1997 to June 1998 with 102.89in and the driest from July 2000 to June 2001 with 29.84in. The most rainfall in one month was 36.62in in January 1995. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 8.51in on January 5, 1966. Average annual snowfall is only 0.2in. The maximum snowfall was 11.0in in January 1974.