It's Been Pouring Cats and Dogs!

I haven't read it yet, but given the weather we have had the past two weeks, I think we should all run out and pick up Cynthia Barnett's new book Rain.  

Over the past 14 days, precipitation is well above average statewide, with large portions of the state running more than 300% above average.  

Source: weather.gov

In the Salt Lake Valley, Alta is the climatologically wettest regular observing site and has picked up 7.65 inches of precipitation so far this month (not including overnight and possibly part of the day yesterday).  A good chunk of that total fell over the weekend when the upper elevations got 16 inches of high density snow.  

Source: NOAA Regional Climate Centers

The Salt Lake City International Airport is the climatologically driest location and has still recorded 3.38" of precipitation (through midnight MST last night), nearly three times average.   

How does that stack up relative to past Mays?  Records are pretty spotty at Alta, but May 1981, 1983, and 1986 produced more than 9 inches of precipitation.  

At Salt Lake City, the 3.38" we had through May 18th would be good for the 16th wettest (time series below based on observations from the Salt Lake City area prior to the establishment of the Salt Lake city International Airport).  Two Mays have had more than 5 inches of precipitation, 2011 (5.14") and 1908 (5.76").  We have some time to catch up though as those are totals for the entire month.  

Surely you remember May 2011?  If not, let me refresh your memory as I always like looking back on the winter of 2010/11.

Memorial Day Weekend, May 30, 2011

It's wind scoured here, but at 8 am that morning Alta-Collins had recorded 10" new with a 193" settled snow depth

BDOME: Best Day of May Ever

There may be some variations in precipitation coverage and intensity from day to day, but the weather looks unsettled for the next 7 days.  We will probably be climbing up the rankings for May rainfall.  A minus with regards to skiing this weekend is that it appears it will be a bit warmer than last weekend and I'm not seeing a precipitation system as organized as what we got Saturday night.  Nevertheless, one can always hope as we see how things come together.