Top 10 wettest August already!

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Extremes of rainfall are common in central Virginia, but this week’s have been, well... pretty extreme.

Through Aug. 6, RVA has officially registered 9.48 inches of rainfall, over 5 inches of that associated with Tropical Storm Isaias.

The daily rainfall of 3.61 inches on Aug. 4 was a record for that day; likewise, 2.57 inches on Aug. 6 was a record, and it wasn’t even associated with the tropical system!

The official tally so far as recorded at the airport (not including any rain beyond Aug. 6) is nearly 8 and a half inches ABOVE the normal for the first week of August, and August 1st-6th is the wettest start to the month since records began in the late 1800s! (Special thanks to Larry Brown with NWS Wakefield for pulling that last cool stat!)

The totals so far, just one week into the month put us within the top-10 wettest Augusts at number 9 and just behind the 9.50″ in 1875, and farther behind the top 5 wettest; all of those above 10 inches with 16.30 inches the highest in 2004.

It’s notable in looking at the records just how wet this month can be. That is because of those typical afternoon summer storms, but more importantly, the increased tropical storm and hurricane frequency often found in August.

With nearly three weeks left in the month, and with more rain in the forecast, it’s certain August 2020 will keep rising through the ranks of that top-ten list, but how high will we go? We’ll find out soon enough.

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