As if we haven't had enough already (another inch fell on Friday and Saturday), the National Weather Service has still more rain in store for us this week.

We'll get a few more sunny days toward the end of the week, but we're going to have to chalk this month up as seriously soggy. The bulk of that rain fell during those five days of water torture two weeks ago.

In fact, Baltimore has been running a fat rain surplus since April rains ended a very dry fall and winter. We're 11 inches on the plus side since April 1, with more to come this month.

This afternoon's forecast is calling for a chance of rain Tuesday as this coastal low begins to affect the region overnight Monday into Tuesday with some early morning drizzle and rain. (Hard to accept, given how pretty it is out there this Monday afternoon.)

That rain will ease off in the afternoon Tuesday as the coastal low moves off. Then we'll get a break until another low moves in from the southwest late Tuesday into Wednesday. This one is much wetter. 

Today's forecast discussion calls for an inch or more of rain from this second wave. But then a high-pressure system to our north will move in after the rain and dry things out, with sunny days due for Thursday and Friday.

Halloween could bring some more daytime rain the next cold front moves through. With luck things will simmer down for the evening's festivities. The low will approach 50 degrees.

The airport has already clocked 4.31 inches of rain this month (graph at right). That's 1.74 inches more than the long-term average for the month to date in Baltimore. Another inch Tuesday and Wednesday would only make a wet month wetter.

(SUN PHOTO/Frank Roylance; graphic by NOAA)