Rain total since Oct. 15 has been 20 inches in St. Mary's

Friday, Dec. 11, 2009

Since Oct. 15, almost half a year's worth of rain has fallen in St. Mary's County. Hollywood weather observer Floyd Abell recorded 21.3 inches of rain since that date. "You bet it's been wet," he said on his weather hotline Thursday morning.

Abell has kept weather records since 1980, and said his average annual rainfall is 46.63 inches. So far this year, he has measured 55.3 inches.

The wettest year in his records came in 2003 with 61.3 inches.

Between October and December, about 10 inches of rain usually falls. "We've more than doubled that already," he said.

The rainfall that began Tuesday night and carried over into Wednesday produced between 1.78 inches at Abell's location and 2.35 inches in Park Hall, according to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

JASON BABCOCK