Wet and more Wet

Somebody in Gembrook records the rainfall and has for the last 38 years, and puts the monthly figures up in the post office window. Every month this year, Jan - May (June's aren't there yet), has shown  higher rainfall than the 38 year average which is also displayed. I added up the difference today and the five months have had 150 mm more rain than the 38 year average.

I'm sure June will also show a much higher figure. There was 40mm showing in my gauge today, and I recall tipping out 90mm the week before last after a few day's rain, which was the second big rain for June, I can't remember how much there was in the first one but I'll be watching the window chart to see the June total.

Everything is saturated. Our block is on a gentle slope and it's easy to slip on the grass, the surface being so soft and unstable. Liam who is doing tiling in our bathroom renovations slid off the driveway when he touched the brake and became bogged as he left today, not being able to get his wheels back on the firm driveway, which is covered in slosh in any case at the bottom of the slope.

So July continues the wet. The record rainfall in the 38 years recorded was 1996. I remember it well, it rained every day just about from March to September, then October was bone dry and the muddy ground dried out and set like concrete. The driest year of the 38? It was 1997, which started the long protracted drier period causing severe restrictions and Melbourne's water supply getting dangerously low a couple of years ago, after filling in '96. They got as low as 26% and are now at 70% and rising.

Who knows what the rest of winter and spring will bring? Nothing would surprise.