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Our dry weather pattern this summer has continued into autumn.
October ended up being the fifth consecutive below average month for precipitation. But when compared to recent previous dry spells, the one we're currently in is the worst.
Here's what I mean. Our total precip since June in Sioux Falls is just under 4.75 inches, or more than 10 inches below average.
Since 1990, I found two instances of eight consecutive below average months. June 1997 through January 1998 was a dry period, but only 4.89 inches under. The eight-month timeframe of December 2001 to July 2002 was a little drier at 6.66 below average.
Since 1990, Sioux Falls even had a ten-month stretch of below average precip. It started in July 1990 and lasted through April 1991. That ten-month span was nine inches below average, but it pales in comparison to our current five-month stretch.
Of course, our current dry spell started during the summer, which is typically the wettest time of year. The other dry periods mentioned overlapped into the dry winter months. We'll see if that continues.
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