Math Error

We have had a very wet year!  In fact, as of 9:00 AM this morning, according to KATV:

We are now only .72′ ‘ away from breaking into the top 10 wettest years on record. This will more than likely happen sometime today.

How does that compare to what we have seen this year?  I am glad you asked!

You will notice that most of Arkansas is in the red…which means we have had between 60 and 80 inches this year…That is between 5 and 6.6 feet!  That is more rain than most of us are tall!  WOW!

It does not appear to be letting up any time soon, either.  Lets take a look at the immediate forecast:

This is a problem!  Mrs. Rohnda told me the other day that she heard on the radio, that there has only been one nine day streak this year where we have not had rain!  That means that the ground has not had much time to dry out.

The National Weather Service issued the following statement yesterday:

… PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE…

SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL SYSTEMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION OUT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING SLOW-MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE SYSTEMS WILL INTERACT WITH THE SLOW FRONT… AND THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SEVERAL WAVES OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL TO OCCUR ACROSS A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT.FOR THIS REASON… A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

AS MUCH AS 5 TO 7 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED IN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS TODAY THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL OCCUR IN AREAS MAINLY ALONG A LINE FROM SALEM… TO LITTLE ROCK… TO CAMDEN. IN AREAS EAST AND WEST OF THIS LINE… AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WILL BE COMMON… WITH ISOLATED TOTALS APPROACHING 6 INCHES.

NEAR-RECORD RAIN HAS FALLEN DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IN A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS. THERE HAS BEEN VERY LITTLE TIME FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT DRYING… WITH THE GROUND SO SATURATED. MANY STREAMS… CREEKS… AND RIVERS ARE ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS FOR LATE OCTOBER… WITH SEVERAL POINTS ALONG THE WHITE… CACHE AND OUACHITA RIVERS ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. THERE WILL SIMPLY BE NOWHERE FOR THE WATER TO GO.

WITH ALL THE EXPECTED RAINFALL… AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS WILL BE LIKELY. MANY LOW-LYING ROADS WILL BE FLOODED… AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS WILL BE IMPASSABLE. STREAMS THAT HAVE A TENDENCY TO RISE RAPIDLY DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL TEND TO FLOOD THE QUICKEST. ANYONE CAMPING ALONG THE BANKS OF A STREAM OR RIVER… PARTICULARLY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN ARKANSAS SHOULD MAKE PLANS TO LEAVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OR AT LEAST MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

COMMUTERS DURING THE EVENING DRIVE ON TODAY AND THE MORNING DRIVE FRIDAY SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS. IF YOU DRIVE ACROSS AREAS NEAR BODIES OF WATER SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING… MAKE PLANS FOR AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

PLEASE STAY INFORMED BY MONITORING THE LATEST FORECASTS AND INFORMATION FROM YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED… YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT.

This is bad news for people living in low lying areas such as Augusts, Arkansas, which is along the White River.

Keep in mind that Flood Stage for this location is 26 feet.  Notice that they are already above flood stage and beginning to rise!  This is bad news for land owners and farmers…but good news for duck hunters.

Have a safe and (not so) dry Halloween!

Previous screen shots taken from NOAA.