Wacky weather to end soon
Published 7:51 am Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Those enjoying this week’s cool, brisk temperatures will have until Thursday to get their fill before the daytime highs jump back into the 90s on Friday.
Historical data shows that Monday’s high of 71 degrees was 15 degrees below an annual average of 86 degrees.
And while the weather may seem strange when compared to last week’s hot temperatures, it’s nowhere near the record-breaking high of 93 degrees in 1991 or the record-breaking low of 48 degrees from 2006.
Weather reports show that during last week’s rainstorms on Friday and Saturday, the county received nearly 1 inch of rainfall – the first precipitation seen this month.
Doyle Barnes, the county’s farm service agent, said the rain was a welcome sight for local farmers.
“Right now, the farmers that I have talked with are continuing to plant, and it’s mostly cotton right now,” Barnes said. “The lack of rain has affected our cattle producers, too, with the yield of first cutting of hay reduced and having to feed it to cattle due to the drought.
“So, the rain is a good thing,” he said.
The National Weather Service is reporting that beginning today, the chance of rain will disappear; however, as the weekend arrives, a slight rain chance will reappear on Saturday, with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The day’s high is expected at 92 degrees.