THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 28, 1994 TAG: 9407280492
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
With stormy weather expected to remain the norm through the weekend, Hampton Roads is swimming closer to its rainiest July on record.
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, rainfall measured at the National Weather Service office at Norfolk International Airport stood at 11.52 inches.
That is just shy of the 11.73 inches that fell in July 1917, the sixth wettest July in the region since continuous weather observations began in 1871.
The July record - 13.73 inches set in 1975 - is still 2 1/4 inches away with only three days to go after today. But given how much rain has fallen in some of the downpours, the record may be within reach.
``We could close in on it,'' said David Tolleris, a meteorologist at the Weather Service. ``We definitely could make the top three before it's over.''
All it would take is a drenching like Monday's when 3.46 inches of rain fell at the airport - the 11th heaviest 24-hour rainfall on record. The wettest 24-hour period started on July 26, 1969, when 5.64 inches of rain fell at the airport.
All of Virginia and North Carolina have reported soggy conditions in recent weeks, raising the possibility of flash flooding as saturated soil becomes less able to absorb water .
A flood watch was in effect through this morning for Northern Virginia and a flash flood watch was in effect overnight for a large part of west central and southwest virginia. No watches were posted for Southeast Virginia, however.
KEYWORDS: RAIN WEATHER by CNB