By Barney Leach
October rainfall was short of normal but was enough to bring an end to our three-month drought. We had nine days with measureable rainfall with a one-day greatest total of 1.45 inches on October 24. Total rainfall for October was 3.81 inches. Our normal rainfall for October is 5.27 inches.
Total rainfall for the year now stands at 43.59 inches. Our normal rainfall through October is 34.75 inches which puts us ahead 8.84 inches for the year.
With a three-month drought, July through September, which produced only 0.76 inch of rain, we are presently 1.18 inches above normal on rainfall for the entire year. Normal rainfall for that three-month period is 7.40 inches. Our normal annual rainfall is 42.41 inches.
We had a record dry third quarter but a record wet second quarter helped us out on total rainfall for the year.
October temperatures were about normal with a high of 93 degrees on October 5 and 6 and a low of 36 degrees on October 31.
RAINFALL BY MONTH IN INCHES
Month Rainfall Normal Departure Month Rainfall Normal Departure
Jan 3.79 3.00 +0.79 Jul 0.59 2.13 -1.54
Feb 2.28 2.96 -0.68 Aug 0.00 2.43 -2.43
Mar 1.53 4.43 -2.90 Sep 0.17 2.84 -2.67
Apr 11.03 3.05 +7.98 Oct 3.81 5.27 -1.46
May 15.38 4.67 +10.71 Nov
Jun 5.01 3.97 +1.04 Dec
Total 43.59 34.75 +8.84
Looking ahead to November: November normally produces our first frost and freeze of the fall season. Our normal rainfall for November is 3.49 inches.
The above rainfall and temperature data was recorded by Barney Leach, former co-op weather volunteer for the National Weather Service and former weather volunteer for Channel 8 in Dallas, Channel 10 in Waco and radio station KNES in Fairfield.
