Rainy May for LI -- and more to come
A file photo of a woman walking in the rain along Main Street in Riverhead. (May 17, 2011) Credit: James Carbone
They say into each life some rain must fall.
But, seriously, isn't this getting a bit ridiculous?
The National Weather Service said Islip has received about 1 1/4 inches more of rain so far this May than is normal for the first 18 days of a typical May -- with more to come.
Through the first 18 days of May Long Island-MacArthur Airport has recorded 3.42 inches of rain. The norm during that period is 2.2 inches, according to weather service statistics taken at Islip since 1984. The average amount of rain at Islip for all of May is 3.94 inches.
Since Saturday, weather service officials said, the area has recorded 2.96 inches.
"We have a very persistent pattern going on," weather service meteorologist David Stark said Thursday. "It's been a pretty stationary system parked over the eastern United States and it's been feeding in a lot of moisture from the Atlantic."
The weather service has recorded 4.32 inches of rain in North Massapequa since Saturday, as well as 3.64 in Bay Shore, 3.53 on Fire Island, 3.21 in Shirley, 3.15 on Montauk Point and 2.89 in Farmingdale.
Central Park has seen 3.51 inches of rain, LaGuardia Airport 2.92, Kennedy 1.98.
Fortunately for Long Islanders the system is beginning to wear down, according to the weather service. We can expect isolated showers and possible thunderstorms Thursday, mainly in Suffolk County, with scattered showers and thunderstorms possible on Friday. There's a chance rain could linger into Saturday. But, Stark said, by Sunday we can expect all the rain to be gone -- and steady sunshine to return.
