GRAVETTE -- With rains falling almost every day in the last part of May, just how much rain did we get? And did this year's rains set a record?
With rainfall recorded on almost two-thirds of the 31 days in May, the moisture measured at the NOAA weather station in Gravette exceeded the average for the first five months of the year.
The total for the five months was 21.73 inches, compared with the average of 18.66 inches in original records dating back to 1926.
Rainfall totaled 10.16 inches in May, which was less than that at most weather stations south and east in Benton County. Average for the Gravette recording station is 5.67 inches for the month.
Readings at the station are taken at 6 p.m. for the previous 24-hour period. They show rainfall in various amounts on 19 days during the month. The greatest amount recorded was 2.41 inches on May 24.
The greatest total rainfall for May occurred in 1943 when 16.48 inches was recorded by observer Julius Schmidt. Later amounts more than this year included 14.02 inches in 1961, 12.65 inches in 1957, 12.16 inches in 1950 and 11.73 inches in 1956. Weather observers during the period were Elson Schmidt and Glenn Justice. Recent heavy amounts were 10.06 inches in 2010 and 10 inches the following year as recorded by Dodie Evans.
In contrast, the least amount recorded for May since 1926 was a measly .28 inch recorded in 1932 by then observer A.F. Stevens and 1.41 inches in 1941. During this century, the least was 2.16 inches in 2012.
Total average moisture for an annual period is 44.87 inches. Last year, 2014, showed a deficit with only 37.79 inches recorded. This compared with 53.25 the previous year and 33.17 inches in 2012.
The only May snow ever recorded at the Gravette station occurred on May 3, 2013, when the area was blanketed with a freakish 4.7 inches. More than 5 inches were reported in the area, all of which melted by noon with no damage to crops.
General News on 06/03/2015