NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
Rainwater flows along College Avenue following one of several downpours last week. At 115.7 mm and more on the way, Medicine Hat is approaching a modern day high for rainfall in May.
@MedicineHatNews
Weekend showers brought the Hat close to a modern record for rainfall in the month of May, and more is expected on Thursday.
Environment Canada reports that 4.7 millimetres of rain fell on the city on Saturday. That brings cumulative precipitation for the month to 115.7 mm, or about four and one-half inches.
That’s 3 mm, or about one-eighth of an inch, less than what fell in 2010.
That year, 118.8 mm set the standard in the easily accessible records going back to 2002 from the federal agency.
Meterologists told the News last week that the all-time record sits at 159.8 mm from 1903, and the current year sat fourth among all “Mays” on record.
The current forecast from Environment Canada states a 30 per cent chance of showers overnight into Wednesday, then 60 per cent chance of showers overnight into Thursday, when rain is expected on May 30.
Since 2002, the next wettest months were in 2016 (93.3 mm) and 2012 (72 mm), and the driest months were in 2015 (11.3 mm) and 2005 (11.4 mm).
June is typically the rainiest month in Medicine Hat, with an average rainfall of 88 mm.
One inch totals 25 mm.
