The almost daily showers and thunderstorms in July didn’t actually yield much rain.
In fact, the local forecaster reports the month’s rain tally was half of the normal 48 millimetres.
A series of Pacific disturbance brought unsettled conditions the first 23 days of July, says Ron Lakeman from the Castlegar weather office.
“The showers and thundershowers were relatively frequent but the daily amounts of rain were all in the minor to light category,” he said, adding, “measurable rain was recorded on 14 of the 23 days.”
With the normal number of days in which measurable rain recorded, 150 per cent of the norm, total monthly rainfall was only 57 per cent of the normal.
Besides light rain, the systems brought in near to cooler than seasonal temperatures during the first three weeks.
“The mean monthly temperature was slightly cooler than normal,” he said, noting the daily average maximum temperature was 1 degree cooler than usual.
The coolest day was 8.5 C on July 10, but the record still stands at 4.1 C which was recorded on July 3 back in 1979.
Toward month end, a flat area of high pressure allowed for warmer and generally sunny conditions.
Lakeman notes that even on those days, a few weak disturbances clipped the West Kootenay with scattered thunderstorms and limited showers at times.
The hottest day of the month was 35.9 C on the afternoon of July 29.
The previous July record still stands at 39.9 C recorded 13 years ago on July 30.