There’s no denying that 2020 has been a wet year so far -- at least for a good chunk of Alabama. The National Weather Service in Huntsville made it official for two north Alabama cities this week, and it turns out that parts of central Alabama can also share the distinction.
There are many rainy days in Alabama. And even though some days we need rain and are thankful for it, it’s not long before we’re complaining and wishing it would go away. On average, Alabama has 213 sunny days per year. Of course, some cities and towns in Alabama have a higher number of sunny days than others. After looking at Sperling’s Best Places , we found that the following 12 cities and towns have the highest average of sunny days per year. We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date.
Huntsville, Muscle Shoals, Anniston, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa all had their wettest Jan. 1 to March 31 on record, according to weather service data. Many of those cities had rainfall totals over the three months that were 10-16 inches above average.
Mobile -- typically one of the rainiest cities in America -- this year has gotten only 10.55 inches, which is actually below average -- 6.36 inches below average, according to weather service data. Here’s a look at the particulars for other cities:* Anniston had 30.62 inches of rain over the past three months, which is the wettest on record. That’s 16.06 inches above average. Coming in at No. 2 was 1977 with 26.62 inches.* Birmingham had 30.28 inches of rain since Jan. 1, the wettest on record and 15.68 inches above average. No. 2 was 1961 with 28.38 inches.* Huntsville had 28.85 inches of rain since Jan. 1, the wettest on record and 13.91 inches above average. No. 2 was 1990 with 26.15 inches.* Muscle Shoals had 29.39 inches of rain since Jan. 1, the wettest on record and 15.36 inches above average. No. 2 was 1950 with 27.97 inches.* Tuscaloosa had 29.2 inches of rain since Jan. 1, the wettest on record and 13.99 inches above average. No. 2 was 1976 with 27.08 inches.
Montgomery has also had above-average rainfall so far this year, but not enough to set a record. Montgomery has had 21.08 inches of rain since Jan. 1, but the record was a whopping 32.71 inches in 1892. However, the city still was 5.2 inches above average for the three-month period. Some cities have gotten more rain already in 2020 than they sometimes get in an entire year. For example, Huntsville has gotten 28.85 inches so far this year -- more than all of 2007, when the area got only 28.65 inches. Birmingham’s 30.28 inches in 2020 has beaten the annual rain total for 2007 as well.
In 2007 the area got a total of 28.86 inches. Tuscaloosa’s 29.2 inches of rain in 2020 beats all of 2007, when there were only 25.56 inches. Anniston has done it not once but twice. That city’s 30.62 inches of rain this year is more than the area got in all of 2007 (22.39 inches) and 1986 (27.91 inches). By Leigh Morgan
Drought Score States
© 2007-2021 Drought Score
