Thunderstorms and Heavy Rains Across Portions of the Central and Eastern US; Heat Expands to Portions of the East

Widespread showers and thunderstorms, some severe, may produce heavy downpours and flash flooding across much of the eastern and central U.S. Dangerous heat will continue in the Pacific Northwest and expand across portions of the East. Deep tropical moisture and associated thunderstorms will bring heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding across portions of Florida into the central Gulf Coast. Read More >

Several days of widespread thunderstorm activity resulted in some amazing amounts of rain over the Lower Ohio Valley during the first week and a half of July. The map below shows the percentage of normal rainfall that has taken place across the region since July 1, 2016:

Zoomed out a bit, we can see a wide band of very heavy rain stretching from Kansas to Kentucky:

The heaviest rainfall observed in the Ohio Valley during this time was 13.91" at the Calvert City CoCoRaHS station in Marshall County. An automated station at Land Between the Lakes received 13.74". In the NWS Louisville area of responsibility the highest amount was 7.53" in Auburn in Logan County.

It wasn't too long ago that the region was on the dry side. Check out the U.S. Drought Monitor from June 28 (the yellow shading indicated areas that were dry):

June 28, 2016 Drought Monitor

As an interesting side note, take a look at the rainfall that fell during this exact same period, July 1-9, last year:

Rather similar! Looking at Paducah's rainfall records, July 1-9, 2016 is the 2nd wettest July 1-9 period ever recorded in the city with 6.40" of rain. The #1 wettest first 9 days of July? Set just last year, 2015, with 8.32".

So, how much rain did you get? Become a CoCoRaHS observer and you can tell us every day how much rain falls in your back yard!

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Thunderstorms and Heavy Rains Across Portions of the Central and Eastern US; Heat Expands to Portions of the East

Impressive July Rains