Almost 30″ Above Normal Rainfall in Western North Carolina!

There’s no denying it has been a wet year so far in Charlotte & across the rest of the Carolinas. The western Carolinas though might be in a whole other category. They are on pace for the wettest year on record in many locations. There are 2 spots they really stick out to me.The first is  Highlands, NC with 77.02″ of rain so far this year. (Note: Highlands owns the state record for most rain in one calendar day at 21.15” set on 7/29/1978) Then Brevard, NC which has had slightly less rain than Highlands but they are an astonishing 29″ above average for the year. That means Brevard could only get 0.52″ of rainfall the rest of the year & still have a normal years worth of rainfall. They average 66.2” of rainfall in an entire calendar year and there are just about there in just over 6 1/2 months.

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The scary part is the same wet pattern isn’t changing all that much and with us entering the heart of hurricane season from August through October.  We could actually be talking about many locations near 100” of rainfall or more by years end. We might be talking about a state record for yearly rain if this keeps up. That state record for rainfall in a calendar year is Rosman, NC in Transylvania County at 129.60” set in 1960.  In case you are wondering this is very close to the wettest location in North Carolina which is Lake Toxaway also in Transylvania county. That spot averages 91.72” of rain annually.

More maps and stats: (Source SERCC)

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Statewide rainfall estimates:

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