BLAINE, Minn. – The Coon Creek Watershed District says that last year was a year with ‘normal’ precipitation, with a total of 31.95 inches. However, in this case ‘normal’ just means the 30-year average. The timing of the precipitation was far from average.
2012 was a year marked by an incredibly rainy spring and an intensely dry fall. Last May became the wettest May on record, with some areas receiving over 11 inches of rain within the month. The five month stretch from March to July of 2012 was the wettest since 1900.
However, as fall approached, things became considerably drier than average. August, September and October combined for less than 4 total inches of precipitation. August and September produced only 1.3 inches, for the second driest those two months have ever been.
So, while 2012 was producing ‘normal’ precipitation, the area also set a number of records for wettest and driest conditions have been in a long time.
