A meteorologist at the National Weather Service, now long retired, used to say that the rainy season starts with the World Series and ends with spring training.

Well, the season’s first significant storm, which started with a downpour during the San Francisco Giants’ World Series championship parade on Friday, gave a little bit more on Saturday. The storm left between a quarter- and a half-inch of rain around the Bay Area.

It might not be saying much, but that means the rainfall total so far this season, at least for the South Bay, is — dare we say it — “normal.”

And in the midst of a historic three-year drought, normal — if only fleeting — is a good thing.

“I’d hate to say I’m basing an entire season on one system,” said Diana Henderson, of the National Weather Service in Monterey. “But it’s definitely a better start than in some years we’ve had. Hopefully it will stay this way.”

Other cities around the bay, including Oakland and San Francisco, weren’t so lucky. They’re now at 79 percent and 69 percent of normal, respectively, Henderson said. And, alas, the rest of the week calls for sunny skies and mild temperatures.

Still, Lake Tahoe resorts were thrilled to get a dusting Friday and Saturday, accompanied by cool temperatures.

Three inches fell on the top of Heavenly, 2 inches at North Star and 10 inches at Kirkwood, known for its big snow.

“It’s always hard to know what the weather’s going to do, but every new season we enter it with a lot of hope and anticipation,” said Sally Gunter, of Heavenly Mountain Resorts. “And we’re very thankful for the snowmaking equipment we have to supplement whatever Mother Nature decides to do.”

The two-day storm system dropped more rain the farther south it went. San Francisco received just under a quarter-inch, while downtown Oakland and Concord received nearly a third of an inch. A half-inch of rain fell on San Jose, while a full inch fell in Santa Cruz. Monterey got 2 inches.

Contact Julia Prodis Sulek at 408-278-3409. Follow her at Twitter.com/juliasulek.