So how wet has 2019 been so far? We're not there yet, but it could become the wettest year on record.
That assessment from WJFW TV Chief Meteorologist Geoff Weller, who says it looks like we could set a record...
"....Through this morning(Tuesday) we've had 34.40 inches of precipitation and melted down snow in Rhinelander. That puts us at #35 for the year. There's still 91 days to go in the year. We need 8.46 inches to tie for first place. That is within the averages for October, November and December. We could be the wettest year on record in Rhinelander this year...."
2016 was the wettest year on record at just over 42 inches. Four of the first six top years of precipitation have happened with the last 28 years. Weller says the wet summer was the result of a jet stream pushing north.
The moisture from the Gulf of Mexico came farther north. He says Wisconsin wasn't the only soggy state this summer, affecting states like Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois over to Kansas and Nebraska.
He says the fall appears to be heading in a similar direction...
"October should come in with above normal precipitation and the longer range forecasts keep us wet and snowy in November and December. We had 18 inches of snow in November and more in December. We'll see what happens, but the trend is not breaking, if that makes sense, we should keep the above average precipitation going and below average temperatures going for awhile..."
Weller says the increased cloud cover also kept temperatures down, with Rhinelander recording only one day over 90 degrees
