Region sees months of rain in two days
Looks like the rain has finally stopped. But the high water will be running off for some time, and the records set in the past two days will last a long, long time.
The official total at BWI-Marshall Airport topped 6 inches for the 29th and 30th. Additional rain after midnight Friday will likely push the total to about 6.4 inches when the official number is tallied.
Thursday's BWI total of 6.03 inches obliterated the record for the date - 1.60 inches, set in 1920. It also established a new record for a single day in September, breaking the old mark of 5.97 inches, set nearly a century ago, in 1912.
The September total of 8.26 inches makes it the 8th wettest September on record for Baltimore.
1934: 12.41 inches
1999: 11.50 inches
1876: 10.52 inches
1882: 9.38 inches
1912: 8.75 inches
1975: 8.62 inches
1966: 8.50 inches
2010: 8.26 inches
As impressive as that is, other locations around Baltimore, and especially in Southern Maryland recorded far more rain than that. Some spots took in a couple of months of normal rainfall in a couple of days. Here is a sampling of two-day totals, from the CoCoRaHS Network:
Hollywood, St. Mary's Co.: 11.79 inches
Leonardtown, St. Mary's Co.: 9.92 inches
White Marsh, Baltimore Co.: 9.50 inches
Deale, Anne Arundel Co.: 9.39 inches
Havre de Grace, Harford Co.: 8.43 inches
Severna Park, Anne Arundel Co.: 7.77 inches
Park Hall, St. Mary's Co.: 7.22 inches
Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co.: 6.93 inches
Frederick, Frederick Co.: 3.64 inches
Cumberland, Allegany Co.: 2.41 inches
Salisbury, Wicomico Co.: 2.21 inches
(SUN PHOTO: Frank Roylance)
Comments
I checked my trusty gauge this morning, Middletown locked in at 6.45 inches since September 29th, and yes, the yard is soggy! We received 1.25 inches alone in a deluge that happened yesteday which lasted just 45 minutes, (4:30-5:15pm)
Posted by: JS | October 1, 2010 8:52 AM
This whole year has been about breaking records! Amazing stuff!
Posted by: Steve J. | October 1, 2010 9:47 AM
Frank,
Where did you get the rainfall numbers you show? I did not see it on the website. Also, I would not be so quick to say these records will last. With the weather we have had this year I think almost anything is possible!
FR: The rainfall numbers come from the CoCoRaHS Network. They are unofficial, but contributed by very serious weather observers.
Posted by: Ben | October 1, 2010 9:56 AM
Imagine how much snow it would have been! Let's hope we're back in balance now and the extremes are finished for a long time to come!
Posted by: Janet Massaro | October 1, 2010 10:35 AM
I measured 12.25 inches in my rain gauge, starting Wednesday late morning through Friday morning. Could that be too high? I live in Annapolis, which your list has at 6.93. Why such a difference?
FR: Without knowing anything about the quality of your equipment, I can't say. There is a lot of variability from place to place, but that's pretty extreme.
Posted by: Kristen | October 1, 2010 11:51 AM
I need to correct the Middletown total, it was 5.25 inches, not 6.5. The 6.5 included the rain from earlier in the week.
Posted by: jS | October 1, 2010 9:09 PM