Rain won't go away anytime soon; May was third wettest for the area.

BY MARIA BARAN
News-Democrat
If you feel like you haven't left the house without an umbrella in forever, you're just about right.

This year has started out as the wettest in recorded history for the area.

While May did not break any records, the recorded 10.84 inches of precipitation was more than twice the average amount of 4.11 inches for the greater St. Louis area. It was the third wettest May recorded, according to the National Weather Service.

"That's something else," meteorologist Ben Miller said. "This is so far the wettest year on record, by over 2 inches. So it's been very wet."

The average amount of precipitation through May is 15.82 inches. This year, we've been drenched by more than 29 inches -- about 9 inches shy of the average total for the entire year of 38.75.

The immediate future certainly doesn't look like a chance to dry out.

There is chance of thunderstorms today with a predicted high of 92 degrees today and a low of 70.

In fact, almost every day this week looks like the rain could roll through along with some thunder and lightning.

A storm system was predicted to roll through early this week and then another stronger system by Thursday that could stick around through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Wednesday is predicted to be partly sunny with a high of 88 and a low of 74 degrees. But the middle of the week could still see rain.

"The way this spring has gone, raining on the drop of hat," Miller said. "Wednesday looks low (for a chance of rain), but we certainly can't rule it out."

The record for the wettest May was set in 1995 at 12.92 inches, just two inches more than what the area was pelted with last month. Last year, May precipitation hovered right around average at 4.26 inches.