Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Showerless in Seattle:
Dry Streak Continues


Image (click to enlarge): Washington state percentage of average rainfall for 60 days ending July 19 from National Weather Service

For previous drought reports, see:
Drought


The National Weather Service in Seattle put out a Public Information Statement on Monday regarding the 2-month dry spell in the area:
THE DRY SPELL THAT BEGAN TWO MONTHS AGO ON MAY 20TH REMAINS INTACT   
AND IT'S POSSIBLE THE DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF
THE MONTH. IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS SEATTLE TACOMA AIRPORT HAS
RECORDED ONLY 0.24 INCHES OF RAIN. THIS IS THE DRIEST MAY 20TH
THROUGH JULY 19TH ON RECORD NOT ONLY FOR THE AIRPORT...WHERE RECORDS
BEGAN IN 1945...BUT ALSO INCLUDING THE SEATTLE DOWNTOWN FEDERAL
BUILDING RECORDS WHICH GO BACK TO 1891. THE PREVIOUS RECORDS WERE
0.79 INCHES IN 1965 FOR SEATTLE TACOMA AIRPORT AND 0.57 INCHES IN
1938 FOR THE FEDERAL BUILDING. NORMAL RAINFALL FOR MAY 20TH TO JULY
19TH IS 2.64 INCHES.

CURRENTLY THE TOTAL RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH OF JULY IS 0.06 INCHES.
IF THIS TOTAL HOLDS UP IT WILL TIE FOR THE FOURTH DRIEST JULY AT
SEA-TAC. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE TOP 5 DRIEST JULYS AT
SEA-TAC.

1. TRACE (1958) (1960)
3. 0.01 INCHES (1967)
4. 0.06 INCHES (2006) (2003)

NORMAL RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH IS 0.79 INCHES.

IF THE DRY WEATHER CONTINUES THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH IT WILL
ALSO BE THE DRIEST COMBINED JUNE AND JULY ON RECORD AT SEA-TAC
AIRPORT. THE 0.24 INCHES OF RAIN ( 0.18 INCHES FOR THE MONTH OF
JUNE ) WOULD BREAK THE CURRENT RECORD DRY JUNE AND JULY WHICH IS
0.44 INCHES SET IN 1951. THE DRIEST JUNE AND JULY ON RECORD IN
SEATTLE IS 0.03 INCHES SET IN 1922 AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING.

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