No matter how you look at it, we got a bucketful of rain last week. Some locations topped off at more than 5 or 6 inches. The slow but persistent precipitation made a sizable dent in our rain deficit, according to the US Geological Survey. Water tables have begun to rise a bit. But we are not out of the desert yet. The forecast shows no rain at all, and we remain almost half a foot behind the averages in our precipitation for the year.

Here is an (unofficial) list of rainfall data from across the forecast area. And here is a summary of the rain's impact on the drought, from the USGS.

"Rain Helps, But Doesn't Cure Maryland's Drought

"The rain last week helped to alleviate the drought affecting parts of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, but has not eliminated it entirely.  Hydrologic conditions in the Mid-Atlantic region remain abnormally dry, but are slowly recovering, according to scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).  The National Weather Service reported a total of 5.44 inches of rainfall at BWI airport from the storm, which began last Tuesday night and continued through Saturday.  The above normal precipitation last week reduced the 2007 rainfall deficit since January 1 to 5.75 inches, from what had been a deficit of 10.63 inches prior to the storm.

"USGS streamgages showed that streamflows in the region climbed to moderately high levels during last week's storm, but once the rain and runoff subsided, the flows dropped quickly back to base levels.  Soils have been saturated near the surface, and the moisture is gradually making its way down to the water table.  Water tables are still rebounding from near record lows, however, resulting in the unusually low base flows in streams.

"USGS real-time observation wells in Baltimore County show water tables leveling off over the weekend, while ground-water levels in Frederick County wells are beginning to rise.  Water tables on the Eastern Shore have also stopped falling.  Ground water usually begins to recharge in mid-October, and scientists were growing concerned as levels continued to drop into the latter part of the month.  The late-October turnaround provides a hopeful sign that drought conditions could end with a few more precipitation events.  Information on water conditions in the MD-DE-DC area is available on the web at: http://md.water.usgs.gov/waterdata/

"The USGS has begun more frequent measurement of ground-water levels.  Data are being collected every two weeks, instead of at the usual monthly intervals, until hydrologic conditions return to normal.  Ground-water data from the next set of measurements will be available in early November."