Submitted by Jeff (not verified) on July 16, 2007 - 10:23pm.
It is amazing that so much press is made about a midyear/ year to date shortfall of rain of @20% less than we would expect at this time. If you look at the past 12 months data, then we should all be concerned about too much rain and our resevoirs flooding over in the event of a large rainfall. By my rough calculations, we are 6.8" above normal for the past 12 months. By the way, is a 20% deviation in rainfall a standard deviation for our area? Perhaps a 20% deviation, above or below, is a normal and expected weather phenomena? My point is that before all the news media jumps on board and talks drought and water restrictions so that everyone must worry, pay fines, drive dirty cars, burn out their lawns, perhaps a more in depth look at the facts would be warranted. Guess it depends on the story we want to tell and the time frame and data we want to examine.
Drought Conditions Raleigh-Durham - Really?
It is amazing that so much press is made about a midyear/ year to date shortfall of rain of @20% less than we would expect at this time. If you look at the past 12 months data, then we should all be concerned about too much rain and our resevoirs flooding over in the event of a large rainfall. By my rough calculations, we are 6.8" above normal for the past 12 months. By the way, is a 20% deviation in rainfall a standard deviation for our area? Perhaps a 20% deviation, above or below, is a normal and expected weather phenomena? My point is that before all the news media jumps on board and talks drought and water restrictions so that everyone must worry, pay fines, drive dirty cars, burn out their lawns, perhaps a more in depth look at the facts would be warranted. Guess it depends on the story we want to tell and the time frame and data we want to examine.