Year-to-date tally almost a full month ahead of schedule locally

CELINA-Rainfall totals continue to rise following a very active weather week in Clay County and across the Mid-South. 

Totals here were considerably above normal through the first three months of the year, even before the recent deluge. 

The eight-day period ending on Monday was a roller-coaster ride in heavy rainfall, storms, and temperatures, statistics show.  Storms and flooding were more severe to the west in Clay County and in Tennessee. 

“As difficult as things were at times here in Clay County over the past several days, it was catastrophic in parts of west Tennessee and the western portion of Middle Tennessee,” said local Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHs) weather observer Kevin Donaldson. “The Clarksville and Hopkinsville (KY) areas were particularly hard hit, along with many other areas.”

Significant rainfall fell across Clay County from March 31 through Monday, April 7, CoCoRaHs statistics show.  During those eight days, 4.49 inches of rain fell in Celina, while a whopping 6.57 inches fell in the Hermitage Springs area, where there was significant flooding at times during the week. 

The Hermitage Springs station recorded single-day totals of 2.54 and 1.79 during the week, while the highest single-day total for Celina was 2.02, the statistics show. 

But even before the week-long rain and severe weather event unfolded, the rain totals for both those stations were considerable and surprisingly near in total. 

Through the end of March, the year-to-date rain and precipitation total for Celina was 18.96, while the Hermitage Springs total was close behind at 18.62.  There are no 30-year National Weather Service (NWS) averages available for Hermitage Springs, but the 30-year average precipitation total through March for Celina is 14.36, NWS records show. 

Wet even before 

last week’s rain

“We’re very close to a full month ahead of schedule heading into April in Celina,” Donaldson said, “but who knows where it might be when late summer gets here?  Last year we had some very wet stretches, and we had two prolonged drought periods.” 

“March was quite wet,” Donaldson said. “We had 6.16 inches of rain for March in Celina.  Our normal is 5.23.  It seems our weather pattern has become one of extremes. 

“Think about this: in 2024, we had a temperature range of zero to slightly above 100 degrees during the year, to go along with those very wet and extremely dry patterns.  It’s getting more and more difficult to tell what ‘normal’ weather is now.  ‘Normal’ is for certain  not what it used to be,” Donaldson said. 

The past few days also saw a considerable swing in temperatures.  The stormy period was accompanied by well above-normal temperatures, and then the bottom fell out of the thermometer.  On Monday, the forecast called for possible frost on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, after a possible record high of 89 degrees-plus last Friday in Celina. 

That temperature was recorded at the Clay County Chamber of Commerce by the WeatherUnderground network.  Two other WeatherUnderground stations in the immediate area recorded highs of 87 and 86 that day. 

Local weather 

partnership

The Dale Hollow Horizon and Donaldson are partnering to bring as much weather information as possible through the newspaper edition and on Facebook. 

“Weather is something most of us like to keep up with, either a little or a lot for weather nerds like me,” Donaldson, “and it’s something that affects our daily life.

“We use forecasts to plan our daily lives to some extent, and as we saw the past week, severe weather notices can literally save lives.” 

“We feel fortunate to be working with Kevin Donaldson to offer local weather-related information to our readers, both in print and online,” HORIZON editor Thomas Weaver said.  “There’s a lot of information readily available regionally, but to have a source for Clay County-specific reports is invaluable and we want to thank him for his efforts.”

More weather 

observers are

needed in Clay

Donaldson also stressed the need for more CoCoRaHs weather observers across the county.  “CoCoRaHs likes to have multiple observers in a county, and they don’t mind having them just a short distance apart,” Donaldson said. 

“You simply go online and record your daily rain, hail or snow.  It’s a commitment, but if you enjoy weather, it’s a way to help provide various agencies with very valuable information,” he said.  “There’s no electronic equipment involved—it’s all old school.  If you’d like to be involved, just reach out to me on Facebook.”

“CoCoRaHS is a grassroots volunteer network of backyard weather observers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow) in their local communities,” the group’s website says.  

“By using low-cost measurement tools, stressing training and education, and utilizing an interactive Web-site, our aim is to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications.  The only requirements to join are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather can affect and impact our lives.” 

For Donaldson’s daily reports and much more about local weather, follow him on Facebook.