The month of August has come to an end and the region can report rainfall totals of historic proportions. A persistent rain pattern formed early in the month and it did not end until it had caused record breaking amounts in many areas. The city of DeKalb, IL reported 14.27 inches of rain in August and 26.47 inches through meteorologic summer (June-Aug), both records. This reflects what occurred over much of the region. Portions of southwest Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota were declared federal disaster areas with as much as 17 inches falling in several days. The Chicago Metro area received close to 16 inches of rain including a storm outbreak on the 23rd that produced the most violent storm in recent memory. There were many economic and heartfelt losses throughout the area.
The most staggering of statisticts came out of Houston County in southeast Minnesota. During a 24 hour period on the 18th and 19th the county received 15.1 inches of rain, shattering the old mark of 10.84 set in 1972. This 24 hour total was two inches less than the all-time record for a single month, set in July of 1987.
The Galena area missed many of the heaviest rains. In total it received 6.27 inches of rain which fell on 23 of the 31 days of the month, including runs in which rain fell on 9 (17th-25th) and 8 consecutive days (2nd-9th). The normal total for August in the area is around 4.25 inches.
August Rainfall totals from the region (inches):
DeKalb, IL - 14.27; Freeport, IL - 11.88; Rockford, IL - 13.82; Vernon Hills, IL - 15.14; Dubuque, IA - 6.06; Iowa City, IA - 8.02; Waterloo, IA - 10.32; Belmont, WI - 19.89; LaCrosse, WI - 20.32; Madison, WI - 15.18; Platteville, WI - 11.94; Prairie DuChien, WI - 8.04
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