How does our rainfall level in Wake County compare with that for other years over the past 50 years ? What were the 10 lowest yearly rainfall levels in the past 50 years. Please indiate year and rainfall level. Thank you.

MIKE MOSS SAYS:      Tom,     Using data from RDU over the past 50 years (and noting the caveat that the airport may or may not perfectly represent Wake County as a whole in a given year - in 2007, for example, a sizable portion of the surrounding area received notably less rainfall than RDU, which had its 7th driest year of the past 50) we find that the 10 lowest rainfall totals occurred in:

1976 (33.71), 1965 (34.42), 2001 (34.78), 1991 (35.46), 1968 (35.60)

1980 (35.64), 2007 (35.81), 1970 (36.01), 1981 (36.38), 1994 (36.41)

Normal annual precipitation for RDU is 43.05 inches, with a standard deviation of +/- 6.4 inches.