Heavy rain continued to fall across the Midwest this July after Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio broke records for June precipitation. Seven of the nine states in the region recorded above normal precipitation for July, according to Bryan Peake, service climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).
Three states, Missouri, Indiana, and Kentucky, were in the top ten for wettest July on record (1895-2015). Based on estimated data, Indiana had 6.08 inches of precipitation statewide, its 7th wettest July on record. Missouri had 8.18 inches, its 3rd wettest July.
Kentucky joined the list of states with a broken record this summer, having its wettest July on record.
Kentucky recorded an estimated 9.42 inches, beating the old record of 8.25 inches set in 1910. Many stations across the state recorded 10 or more inches of precipitation in July, with Madisonville recording 14.46 inches and the London State Police office reporting 15.09 inches for the month.
The two-month period of June through July has become one of the top-two wettest June through July periods on record in five different states. Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri all had their second wettest June through July on record. Illinois' estimated total of 14.52 inches broke the June through July record of 14.34 inches in 1958.
With the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center calling for a greater chance of above normal precipitation in August across western parts of the region, this summer may become one of the wettest ever for the Midwest.