Rain, Rain, Go Away! - updated 5/1
It has been a very wet start to the year for Chicago. Officially at O'Hare International Airport, 14.94 inches of rain has been measured from January 1 through April 30. This puts 2009 in the top five wettest starts to a year. Here are the five wettest January-April periods in Chicago weather records, which date back to 1871.
1975 16.25 inches
1999 15.35 inches
1909 15.16 inches
2009 14.94 inches
1929 14.49 inches
The rainfall total so far for the spring months of March and April was 10.39 inches, which was 4.06 inches above normal for the 2 month period, and more than an inch above the normal of 9.36 for the total 3 month climatological spring - March April and May. This is the third wettest March-April combination on record, behind 1983 with 11.25 inches, and 1947 with 11.02 inches.
If you think has been especially wet lately, you are correct. At least a trace of precipitation has fallen on 12 of the last 13 days, with measurable rain the last 6 days. Chicagoans should get a break from the dismal weather this weekend, but more rain is possible by the middle of next week.
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