Last Year’s Steady Stream of Precipitation Brought Record Rainfall to Region

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Image via Tom Gralish, Philadelphia Inquirer.

Last year was one for the books, with many towns across the Philadelphia region experiencing record rainfall, writes Frank Kummer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The amount of rain in 2018 was a record for many, but narrowly missed breaking the 2011 record for Philadelphia itself. This was because 2011 saw Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, which both hit the region hard. This year, the rain came not from major weather events, but instead from a steady stream of precipitation.

According to data from the National Weather Service, Chester County had 69.1 inches in 2018, which is 22 inches more than usual. Delaware County had slightly less rain at 66.9 inches, but still 21.2 inches more than the county norm.

“It’s just been a very moisture-rich atmosphere,” said David Robinson, a New Jersey state climatologist and a Rutgers professor. “Everyone remembers just how darn humid it was this summer.”

He said that another factor was climate change.

“The ocean surfaces and atmosphere have gotten warmer, so with that, you have more moisture in the atmosphere.”

Read more about the record rainfall in the Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.

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