Drier spring-summer here than the Dust Bowl
The area’s lack of rain over the past half year is one for the books. Not even the paltry precipitation of the Dust Bowl years back in the 1930s can match the totals tallied over the combined Meteorological Spring and Summer period which came to an end overnight. Over the six months which began this past March 1 and ended as September arrived, a mere 9.75” of rain fell at Midway Airport—less than half (44%) the typical amount and more than a foot (12.65”) below normal! That makes the 2005 growing season the driest of any since weather records began at the South Side site 77 years ago in 1928. The last time a growing season here came close to being that dry was in the Dust Bowl Year of 1934 when 10.20” fell.
It hasn’t rained measurably in the city for the past 11 days marking the first time since 1969 that August’s closing 11 days were rain-free.
The Labor Day holiday looks beautiful with comfortable temperatures and humidities.
-Tom Skilling
