Despite entering the New Year with drought conditions and little measurable rainfall in recent months, Lubbock ended 2017 wetter than average.
The Hub City saw 21.95 inches of precipitation last year – 2.83 inches above average – thanks in part to heavy rains in the summer and early fall, said Joe Jurecka, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lubbock.
Since those rainy days during the warmer parts of the year, Mother Nature has been stingy with the moisture.
The last recorded precipitation in Lubbock as 0.03 of an inch Dec. 8 at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport.
Even those snow flurries that powdered much of the area didn’t register at the official recording site at the airport.
“It’s actually pretty typical for this time of the year,” Jurecka.
“We typically don’t see much rainfall in the winter.” The U.S.
Climate Predication Center’s drought outlook shows drought conditions persisting in the South Plains/Panhandle region through the end of March.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows Lubbock County under “moderate” drought conditions, with more severe, and even extreme, drought conditions noted to the north and east of the Caprock.
“All it takes is one event to change that,” Jurecka said, although on the short term, the Weather Service does not have any notable precipitation in Lubbock’s forecast into early next week.