Nearly 14 inches of rain recorded in May alone

TRYON — Another 20 inches of rain and Polk County will be at its annual normal, just six months into the year.

Most of this year’s rain came in April and May, with the National Weather Service reporting 8.12 inches in April and 13.11 inches in May. Other reports, including from the North Carolina Weather Authority, which takes individual records and averages them for the county, put Polk at over 20 inches of rain in May.

Heavy rain hit the area on May 18 and May 28, which caused severe damage to several areas and three deaths along U.S. 176 in Tryon.

The NWS takes its data from a recording station at the Tryon Water Plant, located on Carolina Drive.

By the end of June, Tryon had received 40.94 inches of rain for the year. July has added another 1.60 inches, putting the total for the year at 42.54 inches, according to the NWS. July has seen only light rain totals, with the most coming on July 5 at 0.81 inches.

The normal for the year is 61.77 inches, according to the NWS from 1981-2010.

March, June and July (so far) are the only months this year that have seen below normal averages, according to the data.

January had 5.36 inches, with the normal being 5.10 inches; February had 7.3 inches, with the normal being 4.86 inches; March had 4.58 inches, with the normal being 5.76 inches; April had 8.12 inches, with the normal being 4.58 inches; May had 13.11 inches, with the normal being 4.57 inches; June had 2.47 inches, with the normal being 5.38 inches; and July, so far, has had 1.6 inches, with the normal being 5.27 inches.

Polk County has not been classified as abnormally dry since Jan. 23, 2018, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council. The last time the county was in a moderate drought was April 18, 2017, and the last severe drought classification for Polk County was in February and March 2017.

After high temperatures in the 90s this week, the forecast through Monday is low chances of thunderstorms, with the maximum temperatures being in the high 80s through Monday, according to weather.com.

Monthly rain totals for 2018 (in inches)

January 5.36

February 7.30

March 4.58

April 8.12

May 13.11

June 2.47

July 1.60

Total for the year so far: 42.54

Normal rainfall (1981-2010)

January: 5.10

February: 4.86

March: 5.76

April: 4.58

May: 4.57

June: 5.38

July: 5.27

August: 6.18

September: 5.38

October: 4.65

November: 4.80

December: 5.24

Total annual precipitation: 61.77