Record breaking rainfall across the southern High Plains this month
It is now official. Every single climate site in the Texas panhandle has had the wettest November in recorded history after last nights rain event.
As of Monday afternoon, Amarillo has accumulated 1.95" of rain from last nights event which started around 7PM Sunday night. This has brought Amarillo's monthly rainfall total for November to 6.00". This sets a new all-time monthly precipitation record in November for Amarillo replacing the previous record of 5.06" set back in 1905. Precipitation records have been kept in Amarillo since 1892.
Dalhart also set both daily and monthly records. Dalhart has picked up 1.49" of rain from last nights event bringing the monthly precipitation total to 3.97". This beats out the old record of 3.19" set back in 1971 for Dalhart, Texas. Precipitation records have been kept in Dalhart since 1948.
Borger received 2.16" of rain from this event bringing the monthly total to 5.84". This is a new all-time monthly precipitation record in November for Borger, Texas. This years total beats out the old record of 4.01" set back in 2004. Precipitation records have been kept in Borger since 1949.
Childress, Texas had already set an all-time precipitation record for November earlier in the month; however, they also picked up 1.22" of rain last night and that brings their monthly total to 8.55" of rain. The old record in Childress was 6.72" set back in 2004. Precipitation records have been kept in Childress since 1893.
Clovis, New Mexico while not an official climate observation site, also has seen more rain this month than any other November on record. Clovis so far has caught 3.63" of rainfall this year. The previous unofficial record was 2.61" of rain set back in 2004.
Record breaking rainfall extends from eastern New Mexico through the Texas panhandle and into Oklahoma and Kansas. Dodge City and Wichita also set new monthly precipitation records in November.
All of this rain is due to three large-scale precipitation events that have taken eerily similar storm tracks since the month started. While this record breaking rainfall is highly welcomed by winter wheat producers in the area, it has not bode well for cotton producers who have yet to get their crop out of the fields.
The overall weather pattern does appear to be changing for at least the next week where drier weather will become the main theme for the Southern High Plains.
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