More than seven inches of rain was recorded in Imperial in July, with about half of that total coming in the last week. The rain gauge shows the total in west Imperial after a storm dropped a deluge of rain Saturday night. (Johnson Publications photo)
Seven-plus inches of July rain sets record
How likely is it that July goes down as the wettest month of the year so far?
In fact, the 7.31 inches of rain recorded in Imperial in July by Weather Observer Cory Schuller sets a new record.
According to weather records compiled by the late Willard Rouze back to 1895, the 7.31 inches is the most rain in July since 1905 when 6.38 inches were recorded.
To top that off, the year’s rainfall total for Imperial at the end of July stood at 17.86 inches, which already exceeds the 16.32 inches received in all of 2017.
From 2008-2017, the average rainfall recorded for July is 2.59 inches. The high of 5.30 inches in 2011 preceded significant drought years in 2012 and 2013.
The July low of 0.84 inches occurred in 2015 when total moisture almost hit 22 inches for the year.
Several significant storms in the last week resulted in more than 3.5 inches of the month’s totals.
Since July 22, rainfall data on NERain shows a range of just 1.45 inches south of Champion to a high of 4.54 inches west of Imperial and near Enders.
Hail accompanies storm
For some farmers, the cost for the moisture was hail damage ranging from stripped up crops to fields of corn reduced to stubs.
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