Wet records: 2003 will shatter at least one

Though September and October have been relatively warm and dry, the first eight months of 2003 had locals wringing out their socks on a near daily basis. How wet was it? Here are some of the facts and figures of what may become a record-breaking year.

Since there's never been a month in recorded history without a day of measurable precipitation, it looks like we'll definitely win for number of rainy days, but we're facing some tough competition from 1937 for the total amount of falling fluids.

What a difference a year makes I

 Number of days with measurable precipitation from January 1 to October 31

2003: 145

2002: 97

Annual average: 104

Rainy days and Mondays

 Record for days with measurable precipitation

First place (tie): 1948 and 1975 with 146

Coming on strong: 2003 with 145 by press time

Annual average: 121

Fewest number of rain days:

1909: 75

1930: 76

(2002 didn't even come close with 116)

Driest years

 Least rainfall in a year dating back to the 1880s

First place: 1930 with 23.66 inches

Second place: 1941 with 29.11 inches

Total for 2002: 40.54

Total for 2001: 35.47

Annual average: 48.87

What a difference a year makes II

 Precipitation from January 1 to October 31

2003: 64.71 inches

2002: 31.75 inches

Annual average: 41.87 inches

Wettest years

 Most rainfall in a year dating back to the 1880s

First place: 1937 with 72.02 inches

Second place: 1948 with 69.72 inches

Annual average: 48.87

Where we'll likely end up if we have average precipitation for the next two months: 71.71 inches (second place by a hair!)

–all data from official measurements taken at UVA's McCormick Observatory

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