Tryon clocks 88.14 inches of rain last year

TRYON — With relentless rain throughout the year, it may have felt like a record year, but 2018 did not match up to the rainfall the area had in 2013.

Tryon received more than 26 inches more rain than normal during 2018, with the normal rainfall being 61.77 inches and the area’s rainfall being 88.14 inches for the year.

One of the most rainfall years since 1917 was the year 2013, when the area received 92.12 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

The most rain in 2013 came in July, when the area received a record 20.05 inches for the month.

The most rain in 2018 came in the month of May, at 13.11 inches. The second-highest month was December, with 11.63 inches, and third was October, with 11.37 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Polk County’s official rain station for the National Weather Service is at the Tryon Water Plant, located off Carolina Drive in Tryon.

One of Tryon’s largest rain days for the year was on Wednesday, May 30, when the area recorded 3.98 inches of rain.

On May 19, Tryon recorded 2.25 inches of rain, according to the Tryon Water Plant.

Recent rain was also high for the year. On Dec. 21, the area recorded 1.98 inches of rain and another 1.97 inches came on Dec. 28. Dec. 9 also recorded the area’s first snow of the season, with 9 inches recorded in Tryon. Other areas, like Saluda, recorded more than 20 inches of snow.

October rains mostly came from hurricanes that hit the area, with Hurricane Michael being the most rain Polk County saw in October.

Since 2000, Tryon saw the most rain in 2013, followed by 2018. Other heavy rain years occurred in 2003, when the area received 83.29 inches of rain, and in 2015, when the area saw 71.96 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

The least amount of rain since 2000 occurred in 2016, when the area received 41.45 inches of rain for the year.

Normal rainfall (1981-2010)

January: 5.10

February: 4.86

March: 5.76

April: 4.58

May: 4.57

June: 5.38

July: 5.27

August: 6.18

September: 5.38

October: 4.65

November: 4.80

December: 5.24

Total annual precipitation: 61.77