News
Recent weeks' rainfall totals 2 1/2 inches
By AINSLEE S. WITTIG/Arizona Range News
The drought is still here in Southeast Arizona, but you wouldn't know it from un-patched potholes, growing weeds and rivers flowing where our streets used to be over the past several weeks.
Nearly two-and-a-half inches of rain have fallen in the Willcox area over since Friday, August 13, said Jason Jones, National Weather Service volunteer observer.
That's about 21 percent of the rainfall -- 9.68 inches -- that fell from Jan. 1 to Aug. 19, 2004. And it's 28 percent of the yearly average rainfall of seven inches from Jan. 1 through Aug. 19.
Last year's rainfall from Jan. 1 through August 24, was only 4.45 inches.
The recent rain began Friday, August 13, with 0.43 of an inch, and continued each day with some rainfall through Thursday, August 19, before letting up for a pair of days. The total rainfall during that time was 2.44 inches, Jones said.
The date with the most rainfall was Tuesday, August 17, with 1.06 inches, he said.
Besides wasted car washes and pothole patching, softball tournaments were postponed and golf tournaments cut short. But few complained, as drought conditions plagued the area since 2000, with 25.2 percent of average rainfall occurring in the area that year, and 38.8 percent of average rainfall in 2002, said Gregg Garfin, program manager at University of Arizona's Climate Assessment for the Southwest.
Nearly two-and-a-half inches of rain have fallen in the Willcox area over since Friday, August 13, said Jason Jones, National Weather Service volunteer observer.
That's about 21 percent of the rainfall -- 9.68 inches -- that fell from Jan. 1 to Aug. 19, 2004. And it's 28 percent of the yearly average rainfall of seven inches from Jan. 1 through Aug. 19.
Last year's rainfall from Jan. 1 through August 24, was only 4.45 inches.
The recent rain began Friday, August 13, with 0.43 of an inch, and continued each day with some rainfall through Thursday, August 19, before letting up for a pair of days. The total rainfall during that time was 2.44 inches, Jones said.
The date with the most rainfall was Tuesday, August 17, with 1.06 inches, he said.
Besides wasted car washes and pothole patching, softball tournaments were postponed and golf tournaments cut short. But few complained, as drought conditions plagued the area since 2000, with 25.2 percent of average rainfall occurring in the area that year, and 38.8 percent of average rainfall in 2002, said Gregg Garfin, program manager at University of Arizona's Climate Assessment for the Southwest.
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