October 10, 2011
Heavy rains for drought-stricken Texas – Houston precipitation still 22 inches below normal
By Jeff Masters
10 October 2011 A slow-moving low pressure system brought the heaviest rains of the year to large portions of rain-starved Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas over the weekend. Radar-estimated rainfall amounts reached eight inches over portions of Texas between Dallas and Abilene. Houston got 20% of their rain for the entire year–3.02″–on Sunday, breaking a string of 256 consecutive days the city had gone without a one-inch rainstorm. The longest previous such streak was 192 days, set in 1917 – 1918. The last one inch rainstorm in the city was January 24, 2011. The last time Houston had a two inch rainstorm was 383 days ago. Yesterday’s rains brought the year-to-date precipitation to 15.25″, which is 22″ below normal.
