Posted on 07/18/2006 8:10:08 AM PDT by blam
Mobile is setting records for dryness
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
By BILL FINCH
Environment Editor
As severe drought creeps deeper into southwest Alabama, the dryness in Mobile is shattering records.
The first 6½ months of 2006 has been the driest such period ever recorded in 165 years of record-keeping in Mobile, according to data from the National Weather Service. Mobile received less than 15 inches through the end of June this year; in 1938, the driest year ever recorded in the city, rainfall through June totaled almost 16 inches.
Unless conditions turn around quickly, this drought may soon leave the old rainfall records in the dust. July 1938 in Mobile was unusually wet, with more than 12 inches of rain; but July of 2006 seems to be shaping up as yet another abysmally dry month.
To make matters worse, the drought of 2006 had its origins in September and October of 2005, and the period from October to July also appears to be the driest ever recorded in the city.
Precipitation analysis and rainfall totals show that virtually all of south Alabama is parched, but some areas are exceptionally dry.
Fairhope, for example, is down more than 13 inches of rain for the year, and has received only 65 percent of its normal rainfall through mid-July, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But Fairhope is an oasis compared to the Mobile Regional Airport, which is down by more than 20 inches, and has received only 47 percent of normal rainfall.
Radar-based precipitation analysis suggests that many areas are actually in far worse shape than Mobile's official recording station at Mobile Regional Airport.
Many areas in midtown and downtown Mobile missed showers that moistened Fairhope and Regional Airport in recent weeks. While almost 3 inches fell this weekend at the west Mobile airport, the city's downtown airport recorded only a half inch.
Large areas of Baldwin County east of Daphne and along the Florida line have recorded 75 to 90 percent of their expected rainfall over the past 30 days. But the southern half of Mobile and Baldwin counties and much of Mobile east of Interstate 65 has received only 10 to 25 percent of normal rainfall in that same period, the National Weather Service precipitation analysis indicates.
In general, extended drought conditions are less severe away from the coast, largely as a result of a couple of months of above-normal rainfall this spring. Jackson has received about 66 percent of its normal rainfall this year -- unusually dry conditions in March, April and June in that city were partially offset by more than 7 inches of rain in May and more than 6 inches in February. July rainfall patterns may also be kind to southern Clarke County -- Jackson is slightly ahead of normal for the month.
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FYI.
Was up in Ft Walton Beach for about 10 days. Couldn't believe when everyone said how dry it had been. It even *felt* less humid than Orlando! To me, it felt like late fall weather for a few days.
obviously,Gore was right, it's ,it's "gloworm warmmin"
Used to be you could almost set your clock by the summer afternoon showers downtown. I lived in the mighty metropolis of Semmes, so the rainfall pattern was entirely different at home.
We are getting your share here in eastern NC.
I keep a rain gauge on my fence out back and I got 1 1/2 inches on Sunday and 1/2 inch on Monday....my brother lives 4 miles away and got nary a drop!!!! KSJ said more scattered thunderstorms today....my fingers are crossed! I'm sick of sweating and sick of watering!!!!
How's the weather further west? Biloxi? New Orleans?
Over here in Texas, I have never seen it so dry in all the years I have lived here. 107 forcasted today and dry. We are down in Rainfall by a huge margin, and HOT HOT HOT.
From what I saw on Intellicast yesterday, big storms were popping up all along the coast. Eventually they made it up here. Only after we received about 2 inches did I realize I left the sprinklers on!
Anyway, Montgomery to Georgia border is about 10 inches below normal rainfall.
El Nino
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/threats/threats.gif
Whens the last time you read about this?
El Nino
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/threats/threats.gif
Whens the last time you read about this?
I live in Navarre. The hot, dry weather is the topic of discussion every day here. My sprinkler well is dry, and my yard is getting scorched. The last time I checked, we were about 20 inches below normal rainfall for the year. I keep praying for a couple tropical storms or a cat 1 hurricane.
Howdy neighbor! I live off of Whispering Pines.
It's not much better up around Huntsville-Decatur. We haven't had squat for rain for the past two months.
So do I.
About the same I believe.
Past Three Month Statistics (Excerpted)
Precipitation 33.90in / 861.1mm
Finally drying out.
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