Daily rainstorms are adding up

More than half of Laramie’s precipitation this year has fallen in the last 12 days. Consistent afternoon thunderstorms have dropped more than two inches of rain since June 1.

In Laramie, afternoon showers have become a daily occurrence. Significant rainfall can lead to flash floods, but that doesn’t mean the rain is unwelcome.

It’s been good for the plants — much of Laramie is now bursting with green — and it’s been good for the city, which up until now, has had a pretty dry year.

Aaron Woodward is lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Cheyenne office. He said Laramie’s recent deluge is abnormal.

“We’ve definitely been in what we call a blocking pattern,” he said. “It’s given us a lot of beneficial rain. Although it can occur and does occur from time to time, this long, prolonged period of rainfall activity has definitely been out of the ordinary.”

Since June 1, Laramie has seen 2.08 inches of precipitation. That’s a lot more than the city receives during that same timeframe in a typical year. On average, Laramie sees just .65 inches during the first 12 days of June.

Despite this, Laramie is still experiencing a drier year overall.

On average, the city would have seen 4.52 inches of precipitation at this point. That includes both snow and rain.

But this year, even amid an astoundingly rainy June, Laramie has fallen behind, picking up just 3.90 inches total.

“Overall, Laramie is below normal where they should be this time of year,” Woodward said. “But just for the month of June, Laramie’s running about 1.43 inches above.”

These numbers also point to a shocking statistic: more than 53 percent of Laramie’s total precipitation this year has fallen in just the last 12 days.

“You’ve made a big dent,” Woodward said. “You’re definitely catching up.”

That’s great — especially if you’re a growing plant, or a human with a pollen allergy — but it does come with a flipside.

The National Weather Service has been issuing near daily warnings for flash flooding, when rain is falling so fast and so long that it overwhelms the ground’s ability to absorb it all.

A “flood watch” means there is a possibility of flooding. A “flood warning” means the flood is about to start or is already occurring.

Albany County Emergency Coordinator Kate Allred said you should avoid any floodwaters that collect near you or in your path.

“Don’t drive into them, don’t walk into them,” Allred said. “You don’t know what could be under the water or how deep it is. You don’t know if there’s any sort of electrical lines in the water, sharp objects or debris that you could get caught up in or hurt.”

Allred also suggested avoiding creek and river areas as they’re likely to overflow.

Flowing water is even more dangerous.

“Moving water can sweep you away, or your vehicle away, depending on how deep they are,” Allred said.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, six inches of moving water can knock a human down. Two feet of moving water can sweep away a car.

Flood alerts and up-to-date information can be found on Albany County Emergency Management or National Weather Service social media pages. Alerts might also be sent out through local media and via radio.

Perhaps the most reliable way of getting flood warnings right when they’re issued is by signing up for Albany Countywide Alerts, which sends push notifications to your mobile device.

According to the National Weather Service, Laramie receives a total of about 10.5 inches of precipitation in an average year.