A month’s worth of rain in two days

Certainly this wet start to October was well forecasted by the National Weather Service. For the most part our soils and watersheds needed this rain, and it may be the start of the wettest month of the year. Not often historically is October the wettest month of the year in Minnesota.

Some observers are reporting quite significant amounts of rainfall over the first two days of the month. "Normal" October precipitation ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 inches for most places in the state, but here are some totals for the first two days so far....

Windom 2.12"........Litchfield 3.02".......Browns Valley 2.46"........Hinckley 2.15"

Redwood Falls 2.90".......Montevideo 2.26"..........Willmar 2.80"......Rochester 2.90"

Wheaton 2.07".......Grand Meadow 2.92"......Jackson 2.34".....St Cloud 4.24"

More precipitation is in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday this coming week, and again next Friday and Saturday, when there may even be some snow flurries in northern counties.

We have a long way to go though if we are to approach a state record for October precipitation. Fosston reported 10.14" in October of 1984, while Zumbrota reported 10.23" in October of 1911.