2005: A Wet Year in the Grand Valley

 

After years of drought, the Grand Valley has experienced its second year in a row with above normal precipitation. With an annual total of 11.84 inches, not only was this well above the average of 8.99 inches, it marked 2005 as the 8th wettest year in Grand Junction history and the wettest year since 1997.
 

Despite a dry Spring and late Fall, the beginning of the year and the late Summer provided ample moisture. Three of the months of 2005 actually received more than double their normal amounts (January 277%, June 388%, September 277%).

June is usually the driest month of the year in the Grand Valley, but this past June was very different. Due to a series of thunderstorm outbreaks (rare for June), ten days saw widespread activity (double the normal). Totaling 1.59 inches, June 2005 was the 5th wettest June since records began in 1893. Only 13 of the past 112 Junes have recieved over an inch of rainfall (including 2.07 inches in 1969, the only year to exceed 2 inches).
Month Observed Average
     
Jan 1.66 0.60
Feb 0.78 0.50
Mar 0.65 1.00
Apr 0.66 0.86
May 0.11 0.98
Jun 1.59 0.41
Jul 0.60 0.66
Aug 0.85 0.84
Sep 2.52 0.91
Oct 1.42 1.00
Nov 0.23 0.71
Dec 0.75 0.52


January was also a significant contributor to the wet year. 1.66 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation was recorded, most of that during a three day period (10th - 12th). This moved January 2005 into the new position of 3rd wettest January on record (only a mere 0.08 inches short of the 2nd place standing).

September, normally the fourth wettest month of the year, provided over a quarter of the year’s total precipitation. Nearly 50 percent of the month’s total of 2.52 inches fell on a single day when 1.21 inches was recorded on the 21st (the 5th wettest September day, and the 13th wettest 24 hour period of any day since 1893).

The total snowfall for the 2004-2005 Winter season was 21.5 inches, just a half inch below normal.

Annual Precipitation (inches) in Grand Junction Since 1997:


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