It has been a very wet year across northern Alabama and southern Tennessee!  According to the National Weather Service, the city of Huntsville has picked up 56.53 inches(as of November 2nd) of rain since January 1, 2009.  Our yearly normal is 46.98 inches.  That is nearly ten inches above average!  Across Muscle Shoals, 52.39 inches(as of November 2nd) of rain has fallen since January 1st.  That is nearly 7 inches above the average amount of 45.53 inches.  We have had the presence of el niño for most of this year which is believed to be one of the causes of the above average precipitation.  It looks like el niño will be strongest from November through February.  This could lead to more above average rainfall this winter.  That scenario could end up leading to more storms tracking across northern Alabama and southern Tennessee.  That could mean a bigger severe weather threat across the southeast this winter, including tornadoes. 
 
Remeisha Shade
Meteorologist
WAFF 48 Storm Team

Filed under: Weather