October started wet and stayed wet the whole month. It was the wettest October ever recorded at Sea-Tac and shattered a bunch of records across the state.
Dana Felton, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Seattle (and who has a thing for weather statistics) put together some numbers.
- October 2016 measured 10.05 inches of total rain for the month, shattering the old record of 8.96 inches set in 2003.
- There were only 14 days of measurable rain in October 2003. In contrast, October 2016 had 25 days of measurable rain at 25 days, setting a new record. The old record was 23 days set in 1956, 1950 and 1947.
- In the last 1,510 months of Seattle weather records, October 2016 was the 13th wettest month. It was also the 13th month with 10 inches or more of rain. The wettest month in Seattle ever was back in November 2006 with 15.63 inches.
Around Washington, one of the most significant records broken was for Spokane. They received 6.21 inches of rain in October, making it the wettest month (of any month) ever recorded there! It broke the old record of 5.85" set all of the way back in 1897 - now that's a record!
Olympia also had record rainfall in October with 12.43 inches, breaking the old record of 10.72 inches in 2003. Hoquiam measured 15.85 inches, breaking their old record of 14.68 inches set in 1956.
Quillayute ended up with the third wettest October on record with 21.08 inches. The record is 27.17 inches set in 1975.
Bellingham also had the third wettest October with 7.40 inches. The record is 8.29 inches set in 2003.
What's the long-range outlook for Western Washington for November? Above normal rainfall and above normal temperatures!
