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September pours into the rain record books


Kimberly Rubio

Assistant editor

Between Sept. 1-30, 13.25 inches of rain fell in Uvalde – marking the first time in Uvalde’s history that rainfall reached double digits in September – and making the month the fifth wettest since record keeping began.

The good fortune may be extending into October, with 0.1 inches received on Monday and additional rainfall expected this weekend.

Last year, 1.40 inches fell in September; 2016, 2.94; 2015, 0.00; and 2014, 3.69. Prior to this year’s measurement, the most rainfall received in September was 8.75 inches, which fell in 1936. In recent years, the most rainfall measured in September was 5.22 inches, which fell in 2001.

The most rainfall recorded in a single month occurred in July of 1932 with 21.01 inches. Other months with record rainfall include May of 1935 with 17.67 inches; August 1974, 15.82 inches;  October 1969, 13.38 inches; and June 1913, 12.78 inches.

According to the National Weather Service, multiple features were at play to create the wettest September in history, including a series of upper-level disturbances, tropical moisture, and a weak cold front.

The rain, which began Labor Day weekend, caused rivers and creeks to swell and resulted in the closing of multiple roads within the city and county. Precipitation collected last month brought the year-to-date total to 16.27 inches, which is still below last year’s year-to-date total of 21.39 inches.

The 114-year-average for Uvalde is 19.20 inches. The J-27 index well of the Edwards Aquifer measured Wednesday at 870.5, up slightly from Friday, when it was measured at 870.0 feet above mean sea level.

Rain accumulations taken by area weather observes last month varied.

In Sabinal, Enrique Garcia measured 25.03 inches; Concan, Nancy Feely, 23.70; Barksdale, Mary Louise Baird, 18.3; Reagan Wells, Ricky Musquez, 16.82; Utopia, Diane Causey, 12.50; Leakey, JoAnn Fisher, 12; 4.5 miles northeast of Knippa, J Hardie, 11.70; Camp Wood, James Coleman, 10.88; La Pryor, John Gaitan, 7.3; and Batesville, John Simpson, 6.60.

“That’s sometimes what we get in a year,” said Mary Louise Baird of Barksdale, referring to the 18.3 inches she recorded last month.

“I’m looking forward to not having a problem in the winter with feed,” Baird added, noting that she has cows. Baird also said the rain did not damage fences around the cows.

“It laid ‘em down, but didn’t wash them away,” she said.

 

 

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