Wettest July on Record

By Russell Russ

July was a warm and very wet month. There were no record-setting daily temperatures, but it was consistently warm and humid for most of the month. What stood out dramatically was the rainfall – heavy rainfall and a great deal of it. Details on the record setting July storms throughout most of the month can be found in the August issue of Norfolk Now. The final total will be included here, and it is impressive. This July ranked at the top of the chart for precipitation and very high ranking for monthly temperature. With the many roads, bridges and culverts damaged during the heavy and excessive rains, July will likely also rank very high for damage repair costs. 

July’s high temperature of 88 degrees was observed on July 6 and the low of 51 was observed on July 31. The average monthly mean temperature of 71.5 degrees was 3.2 degrees above normal. This July ranked tied with July 2010 and 2018 as Norfolk’s sixth warmest July and seventh warmest of any month over the last 92 years. The warmest July (and warmest of any month) was in 2020 with 73.1 degrees. The coolest July was in 1962 with 63.9 degrees. 

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 15.53 inches, a whopping 11.20 inches above normal. This July ranked as Norfolk’s wettest July and fourth wettest of any month over the last 92 years. The total rainfall amount is impressive, but what really stood out was the high volume of rainfall over such short periods of time – during four different rain events. There were multiple days when it rained two to three inches in just a couple of hours. On July 9 in South Norfolk, where most of the damage occurred, these totals could have reached five to ten inches over just a few hours. 

Through July, Norfolk’s yearly precipitation total was 38.86 inches. We went from a deficit of 2.09 inches after June to a surplus of 9.11 inches after July. Norfolk’s driest July was in 1939 with 1.29 inches. 

Norfolk’s top five wettest Julys: (1) 2023, 15.53; (2) 2021, 13.05; (3) 2014, 12.76; (4) 1996, 11.47; (5) 2000, 9.68.

Norfolk’s top five wettest months: (1) Aug. 1955, 23.67; (2) Oct. 1955, 17.49; (3) Oct. 2005, 16.49; (4) July 2023, 15.53; (5) Sept. 1938, 13.40.

An early look at August’s weather through the third week showed a continuation of July’s humid conditions. Temperatures were running about normal. We came close a few times, but at the weather station in Norfolk we have not hit 90 once yet this year. Rainfall was about normal with thankfully no big rain storms. Everything was lush and green through most of the summer months. No drought talk and no brown lawns this summer. For Norfolk this summer, it has been all about the rain and humid conditions.  

Weather observations are recorded by the Great Mountain Forest at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2SW.