Dallas-Fort Worth rainfall breaks records as 2nd wettest 24 hours, 2nd wettest August

Dalia Faheid

Over the past 24 hours, 9.19 inches of rain have fallen over Dallas-Fort Worth, the second greatest 24-hour precipitation total recorded by the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

The first record-breaking precipitation event, only 0.38 inches more, happened in 1932. Between Sept. 4 and 5, 9.57 inches of rain fell in DFW. The most recent rain event of this magnitude was 8.11 inches from Sept. 21 to 22, 2018.

“After having a ridge of high pressure parked over us much of the summer, a pattern shift has finally allowed drought-denting rainfall to occur,” National Weather Service meteorologist Daniel Huckaby told the Star-Telegram. “These sorts of heavy rain events happen from time to time, but this one specifically hit the bucket at DFW Airport.”

DFW tallied more rainfall during this 24-hour event than had been accumulated since the beginning of April. The total from April 1 to Aug. 20 was 9.07 inches. From January to June, DFW saw a total of 12.41 inches.

The 10.08 inches of precipitation total this month is second only to the 1915 weather record.
The 10.08 inches of precipitation total this month is second only to the 1915 weather record.

With the past day’s rain, the precipitation total for this month has reached 10.08 inches, second only to the wettest August in 1915, with 10.33 inches of rain. That’s when the 1915 Galveston hurricane happened, inflicting about $30 million in damage and killing more than 400 people. The year before holds the title of third wettest August, with 9.02 inches of rain.

By comparison, this month’s rain is more than double that of August 2021, which totaled 4.82 inches. August 2020 had 1.28 inches of rain and 2019 2.44 inches. If the trend continues, this August could become the wettest in history by the end of the month.

The last time we had this much monthly rainfall was in 2018, with 11.31 inches in February, 12.69 in September and 15.66 in October.

Rainfall on Sunday and Monday has also broken daily records for this time of year, according to NWS. The previous high for Aug. 21 was 2.25 inches in 1919, now up to 3.53. The record for Aug. 22 is now set at 5.66, up from 2.47 in 1916.

Monday boasts the highest daily rainfall for August, at 5.66 inches. The previous high was 4.28 inches on Aug. 28, 1946.

Before the rain, DFW had a 12-month deficit of nearly 17 inches.
Before the rain, DFW had a 12-month deficit of nearly 17 inches.

This will certainly make a dent in the drought, Huckaby says, as DFW had a 12-month deficit of nearly 17 inches before this rain event. As of Aug. 18, 93.4% of Texas was experiencing drought conditions, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.

“There is more rain in the forecast, but this event will be the lion’s share,” Huckaby said.

Showers and thunderstorms are on the forecast throughout the coming week.

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