The month of May has been the wettest month ever in Texas history, says the Texas A&M University’s Office of the State Climatologist in Texas A&M Today.
The previous record of 6.66 inches of rainfall was recorded in June 2004. This May’s rainfall averaged 7.54 inches. The wettest parts of the state were from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to the Red River, with some areas receiving more than 20 inches of rain.
Three factors contributed to record: a jet stream dipping into Texas, spearheaded by El Niño; a steady flow of moist air from the south undercutting the jet stream; and a persistent weather pattern.
“It has been one continuous storm after another… in several regions of the state. It has rained so much that the ground just can’t soak any more moisture into it, and many creeks and rivers are above flood stage,” said John Nielsen-Gammon, professor of atmospheric sciences who also has served as State Climatologist since 2000.