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Showers in May led to wet month

May was warmer than usual, but heavy showers the last few weeks brought total rainfall nearer to average.
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Last Friday brough a sudden pelting of hail to the Trail area.

May was warmer than usual, similar to the month in 2015.

But heavy showers in the last few weeks, unlike last year, brought the total rainfall nearer to the typical 70 millimetres (mm).

The average monthly temperature spiked almost 2 C above normal, with new daily maximums; 28.4 C on May 2 and near 30 C the following day.

The warmest day of the month, 30.2 C, was recorded on May 7.

“High pressure was more dominant and maintained the generally dry and unseasonably warm pattern of April through the initial 18 days of May,” says local forecaster Ron Lakeman. “The mean monthly temperature was 1.7 degrees warmer than average.”

After a very dry month last year, heavy showers the last few weeks this May brought some welcome relief.

“In comparison to May 2015, the total precipitation this month was greater, 85 per cent of the normal rainfall was recorded,” Lakeman noted.

A series of Pacific systems pushed across southern B.C. with frequent showers and thundershowers in the final two weeks, bringing wetter and more seasonable temperatures.

Lakeman reports 95 per cent of the month’s total rain fell during this period.

More significant amounts of rain were recorded during the late afternoon and night of May 18, and over the Victoria Day long weekend.



Sheri Regnier

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