At the end of July an inch of rain

Almost an inch of rain fell July 29-30, almost the entire month's precipitation. It was the most July rain by far in the last 10 years and only the second time since 2015 more than 0.8 inches fell Four years during that period the monthly total was 0.3 inches or less of precipitation. No rain was recorded in 2021.

Since 2000, there have been 17 years with less than one inch of rain, four years of around 1.3 inches and the record, 1.4 inches of rain in 2011.

The 18.9 inches of rain this year is 1.7 inches and 10.2% above the century average of 17.3 inches for Jan.-July.

Lots of rain, comparatively the last two months. June and July were 51% and 55.6% above the century average, respectively. Monthly precipitation this year has been above normal, from 10% to 56% except for March and April.

Still, 61.9% of Skagit County is classified as abnormally dry and another 21.4%, in moderate drought, in the eastern quadrant, by the U.S. Drought Monitor. A slice of the county running southeast from Edison through Mount Vernon to Lake McMurray has had more moisture.

Three days of record highs were set for their dates, July 7-9. Temperatures reached 87.5 degrees, 87.2 degrees and 92 degrees on the 9th, the month's high.

Nine days of 80 degrees or higher, all by July 20 pushed the average daily maximum temperature to 76.6 degrees, almost three degrees above the century average.

The 46 degrees the morning of July 27 was a record low for that date.

The average daily temperature of 64 degrees was 1.5 degrees above the century norm, with the average daily low of 52 degrees 0.4 below this century's average

Data measured at the WSU Memorial Highway weather station.