Meteorologist Kyle Grainger explains why this summer has felt unusually wet—even though rainfall has been close to normal.
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS (SMOKIES.LIVE STORM CENTER) — It’s one of the questions I’ve been asked more than any other this summer:
“Is this the wettest summer we’ve ever had?”
If you’ve felt like it’s been raining every other day, you’re certainly not alone. Between afternoon thunderstorms, flash flood concerns and weekends that seemed to feature at least a chance of rain, it’s easy to see why many people believe this has been an exceptionally wet summer.
But according to the National Weather Service, the numbers tell a different story.
July finished with above-normal temperatures and generally near-normal rainfall across much of East Tennessee and southwest North Carolina.
So why has it felt so wet?
Part of the answer lies in the timing. Instead of one or two soaking rain events, we’ve experienced a steady pattern of afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Even if your neighborhood didn’t receive heavy rain every day, someone just a few miles away probably did.
Summer thunderstorms are also highly localized. One community may see two inches of rain while another, just across town, stays nearly dry.
The good news is all of that rainfall has had a positive impact.
The National Weather Service says the recent rains have helped eliminate drought conditions across most of the region, replenishing streams, rivers and soil moisture after a much drier start to the year.
As we head deeper into August, scattered afternoon thunderstorms will remain a familiar part of the forecast. That doesn’t necessarily mean washout days—it simply reflects the typical summertime weather pattern that develops when heat and humidity combine over the mountains.
So, while this summer may not go into the record books as the wettest, it’s certainly been memorable for its frequent thunderstorms and ever-changing skies.
At the Smokies.LIVE Storm Center, we’ll continue separating perception from reality—using the latest data to help you better understand the weather across the Smokies.
I’m Meteorologist Kyle Grainger, and that’s your Smokies.LIVE Storm Center weather insight.
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