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A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that the 12.03 inches of rain that fell in Roseburg last month set a record for the wettest January ever.
It turns out, the precipitation total also set a second mark. For the first time, Roseburg recorded back-to-back months in which more than 10 inches of rain fell in Douglas County’s largest city.
“This is the only year that there’s been more than 10 inches of rainfall in two consecutive months,” said George Taylor, the Oregon state climatologist.
In December, 11.65 inches of rain fell, bringing the two-month total to 23.68 inches.
That’s more than double the normal rainfall total for the last and first months of the year. On average, only 10.39 inches of rain falls during those 62 days.
Even so, the December and January totals lag behind the two months that produced the most rain in Roseburg history. Back in December 1955 and January 1956, 25.64 inches of rain came down. The January total that year missed the 10-inch mark by one-tenth of an inch.
“It must be a 50-year cycle,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, the written records don’t go back to 1905 and 1906 to see if the trend held.”
Roseburg’s rain totals, along with high and low temperature readings are recorded at the Harvard Avenue offices of AM radio station 1240 KQEN. Those serve as the official readings for the Oregon Climate Service at Oregon State University.
Employees at the station go outside every day at 7 a.m. and check the amount of water that has collected in a rain gauge, said Kyle Bailey, the station’s program director. High and low temperature readings from sensors located outside feed in to a console that is reset each day at the same time.
Before 1965, the official readings came from the Roseburg Regional Airport. The National Weather Service still uses the airport as its official recording station.
So far, February’s rainfall has been on the dry side. Just over one inch has fallen, compared to an average of 1.80 inches by this time of the month. That might signal a drier spring.
“It’s going to be dry and mild. That’s what I predict,” Taylor said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
It turns out, the precipitation total also set a second mark. For the first time, Roseburg recorded back-to-back months in which more than 10 inches of rain fell in Douglas County’s largest city.
“This is the only year that there’s been more than 10 inches of rainfall in two consecutive months,” said George Taylor, the Oregon state climatologist.
In December, 11.65 inches of rain fell, bringing the two-month total to 23.68 inches.
That’s more than double the normal rainfall total for the last and first months of the year. On average, only 10.39 inches of rain falls during those 62 days.
Even so, the December and January totals lag behind the two months that produced the most rain in Roseburg history. Back in December 1955 and January 1956, 25.64 inches of rain came down. The January total that year missed the 10-inch mark by one-tenth of an inch.
“It must be a 50-year cycle,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, the written records don’t go back to 1905 and 1906 to see if the trend held.”
Roseburg’s rain totals, along with high and low temperature readings are recorded at the Harvard Avenue offices of AM radio station 1240 KQEN. Those serve as the official readings for the Oregon Climate Service at Oregon State University.
Employees at the station go outside every day at 7 a.m. and check the amount of water that has collected in a rain gauge, said Kyle Bailey, the station’s program director. High and low temperature readings from sensors located outside feed in to a console that is reset each day at the same time.
Before 1965, the official readings came from the Roseburg Regional Airport. The National Weather Service still uses the airport as its official recording station.
So far, February’s rainfall has been on the dry side. Just over one inch has fallen, compared to an average of 1.80 inches by this time of the month. That might signal a drier spring.
“It’s going to be dry and mild. That’s what I predict,” Taylor said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
