Recovery from the hot dry summer

The summer of 2015 was one for the record books. It included very little rainfall and several days with highs in the upper eighties. This included an unusual summer windstorm that downed trees weakened by the lack of precipitation and warmer-than-normal temperatures leaving thousands without power for days.

But since then the local area has seen several rain events, even to the extent causing of minor flooding.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the local area has received 42% above normal rainfall from October to December. December’s rainfall alone was 92% above normal. Including the summer months, the local area received 33% above normal rainfall during the 2015 calendar year.

The NWS three-month outlook for January to March calls for below normal precipitation across the state.