The graphic says it all: rain deficit in March this year is significant.
Hartwell received just under three inches of rain in a month where it normally gets six. And while this wasn’t the lowest amount the sub-basin has received, it was close.
In the past 67 years, Hartwell has only experienced drier 
conditions in March five times: 1982 (2.81 inches), 1988 (2.77) 2004 (2.09), 1985 (1.32) and 2006, which was its lowest at 1.14 inches.
Thurmond and Russell didn’t fare much better, logging 67 percent (3.19 inches) and 59 percent (2.89 inches), respectively. Each of the sub-basins had a strong showing on the same day last month, March 19, netting 0.67, 0.69 and 0.81 inches for Hartwell, Russell and Thurmond, respectively.
For the other 30 days, however, it was more like a slow, almost insignificant, trickle.
Historically, even though the average rainfall begins to decrease starting in April, last year each of the sub-basins reached or exceeded their average in April and May.
And there’s still a possibility based on the long-term forecasts we may get one or two good events in the coming months to make up for the deficit in March.
~Jeremy S. Buddemeier, public affairs specialist
