Late July rains beneficial to the county

VW independent staff/submitted information

Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency Director Rick McCoy believes the rain that fell this past week was critical to get Van Wert County back out of a developing drought and get area crops some much needed moisture for the growing season.

“A combination of temperatures above normal for July and precipitation below normal for the first three weeks of the month was putting a lot of stress on area fields and gardens,” McCoy said on Friday. “But a change in the jet stream with pop-up thunderstorms the last week of July provided much of the county with anywhere from one inch to two inches of rain changing the overall outlook for area crops.”

McCoy said there were 13 days in July where temperatures hit anywhere from 88-93 degrees with those days being very humid and uncomfortable, creating heat index values anywhere between 95-105 degrees. The average high temperature for July came in at 85 degrees with an average of 84 being considered normal for the month. The rainfall became a real issue as the first two thirds of the month were quite dry.

“The average rainfall for July is normally around 3.58 inches and it was looking doubtful that number would be met until the weather change occured the last week of the month,” he said.

Once rainfall totals were tabulated from the local EMA weather stations placed around the County, a few locations still remained below the normal average but overall many locations surpassed the July average.

For the month, Scott and Convoy came in with the least amounts of rain with Scott receiving 2.38 inches and Convoy receiving 2.56 inches. The Van Wert EMA Office on Lincoln Highway in Van Wert recorded the highest amount at 5.74 inches. Other locations with rain amounts tabulated were as follows: Dixon, 3.12; Middlebury, 3.24; Willshire, 3.60; Wetzelland, 3.66; Hoagland Township House, 3.66; Wren, 3.99; Glenmore, 4.71; Van Wert County Fairgrounds, 4.82; Venedocia, 4.86; Delphos, 5.17; Ohio City, 5.40, and  Middle Point, 5.71.

According to McCoy , the area is seeing a brief reprieve from the heat wave with temperatures staying in the low to mid 80’s next week. But the Climate Prediction Center is indicating much hotter temperatures are expected to return the second and third week of August.

“Hopefully the rains will continue,” McCoy said.