MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – What a difference a month can make across the Gulf Coast. After starting May in a severe drought with a rainfall deficit approaching 12 inches, Mobile has now officially set a new record for May rainfall with 15.83 inches and counting. That breaks the previous record of 15.08 inches set back in 1980.
Weeks of frequent downpours, thunderstorms, and tropical moisture have completely changed the look and feel of the region, turning dusty lawns and stressed vegetation into saturated ground almost overnight.
Even with the incredible rainfall totals, the latest U.S. Drought Monitor still classifies much of the area in severe drought. That may seem surprising, but drought classifications are based on much more than just a single wet month. Experts evaluate long-term rainfall deficits, stream and river levels, groundwater conditions, soil moisture, reservoir levels, and impacts to agriculture and vegetation. In many cases, it takes weeks or even months for deeper soil layers, creeks, and groundwater supplies to fully recover after a prolonged dry stretch…