Double Header Rain Storms to Break May Dryness

The first 7 days of May are in the books and a remarkable dry spell has started the merry month with only .02” of rain officially in Charleston and a mere .11” in Huntington. (see Monday’s blog at www.wsaz.com/tonysblog/headlines/18674329.html)

Since May is often the wettest month of the year either we are headed back into drought (NOT!) or we have some major league catching-up to do!

And that’s exactly where we are heading. A big comeback of rain is in the works. That change will come as a one-two punch of soaking storms and that raises the specter of anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain around here by Monday.

More on the rain later. First a recap of the sudden dryness.

Folks have been watering their lawns and gardens as the early May warmth has dried out many landscapes. Farmers’ tractors have plowed up a dusty storm in the developing dryness. Speaking of dust, plenty has been elevated by kids sliding into home plate at parched little league diamonds like General Partinger Park in Middleport and Frank Horn Field in Inez.

Other casualties of the dry spell include a hand full of brush fires (“we are out of the woods from the heart of the spring fire season despite the few fires. We have let go our temporary help now that the forests are canopied”, District Forester Alan Sowards told me) and lower than normal lake and pond levels.

Tree pollen levels remain stubbornly high though off their April peaks thanks to the warm, dry and breezy weather. Hay fever sufferers, hang it their, better breathing times are a day away!

The end of this short term dryness will ensue Thursday when a soaking rainstorm along the Mississippi Valley moves into the Ohio Valley. Thursday’s rains before sunset will be scattered, then take on a longer term steady soaking at night. Some thunder is likely, but the air does not appear unstable enough for severe winds or hail.

By the time the rains taper off by Friday afternoon, most areas should have an inch in the rain bucket with parts of Southern Ohio and Central WV closer to 2 inches. The current dry spell likely precludes anything more than nuisance street flooding.

After a break in the rain late Friday through Saturday, another soaker looks to arrive by Mothers Day. We will keep you posted as that’s one forecast I hope doesn’t pan out.