Oklahoma sets new state, single-site rainfall records

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – A weather station in southeast Oklahoma is the new state record holder for annual rainfall total, topping the previous record from 1990 by more than an inch.

State Climatologist Gary McManus said Wednesday the observation site at the Daisy cooperative in Atoka County recorded 89.69 inches through Dec. 30. That beats the previous record of 88.27 inches in Tuskahoma. The rainfall totals maintained by the Oklahoma Climatological Survey date back to the 1880s.

McManus notes the rainfall figures are preliminary, but there’s no major precipitation in the forecast for the next couple of days.

Oklahoma already has smashed its previous wettest year on record by nearly 6 inches. The old record for statewide average rainfall total was 47.88 inches in 1957. This year’s preliminary total is 53.71 inches.