Drought conditions persist

The drought of 2012 continues, with only 2.52 inches of rain recorded in Concordia since June 1, including several brief sprinkles which brought only a trace of precipitation here the first few days of August.

Precipitation here from January through July totals 17.03 inches, over eight inches below the normal precipitation of 25.18 inches for the first seven months of the year.

Precipitation has been below average for five of the past seven months.

Concordia received only 1.54 inches of rain in June and 0.98 in July, making the two-month total the lowest for June and July since 1951, according to National Weather Service records. During the drought of 1953, Concordia received 3.05 inches in June and July, and the drought of 1980 brought 3.36 inches of rain for those two months.

Precipitation here is on a pace to make 2012 one of the driest years since 1951. In 1956, only 22.70 inches were recorded here, making it the driest year on record. The next driest years were 1953 (24.03), 1980 (26.06), 1988 (26.13), and 1976 (26.42).

The lowest January-July precipitation was in 1980, with only 12.25 inches recorded.

The lowest June precipitation here was in 1972, when only 0.92 of an inch of rain was recorded. The lowest July precipitation was in 1970, when only 0.92 of an inch of rain fell.

Normal August precipitation is 4.05 inches. The lowest August total since 1951 was 0.17 of an inch in 1984.