Record-breaking wet 12 months in some areas

The recent run of dry, warm, and beautiful weather has all but made us forget how wet the 2010 growing season was in many parts of the state. In some cases the last 12 months has been the wettest in history.

If we start from October 1, 2009 and tally up the precipitation through September 30, 2010 (sometimes called the water year by climatologists) what we find is remarkable amounts for selected Minnesota cities. At Marshall in Lyon County the past 12 months have brought 51.43 inches of precipitation, while at Waseca they have recorded 50.65 inches. These are all-time record amounts for any 12 month period. Further this longevity of wetness is at least partially accountable for the extraordinarily high flow volume this fall on southern Minnesota watersheds.

This unusual wet pattern has been abruptly interrupted with a stretch of 16-17 consecutive dry days for most Minnesota communities.