Conway — August 7, 2008 — So, just how wet has it been this rainy summer? Very, according to Briggs Bunker, longtime local weather cooperative observer for the U.S. Weather Service, and whose reports are aired live daily on WMWV 93.5-FM’s “Morning Weather Show” at 7:45 a.m.

“Precipitation for the year through July is 35.97 inches, which is 9.57 inches above the 50-year average of 26.40 inches,” said Bunker, adding, “June was 6.78 inches, which is 2.81 inches above average, and July was 7.04 inches, which was 2.90 inches above average. That made it the second wettest July in 50 years.”

He said the precipitation total for the first five days of August was 3.33 inches. “The 49-year average total precipitation for the month of August is 3.98 inches so we are approaching that and we have not even gotten through the first week so we just might see a new record for the month.”

It’s also been a wet one on top of Mount Washington. Observer Stacey Kawecki reported this week that although May was “a little dry,” it’s been wet ever since.

“May had 3.79 inches of recorded precipitation, which was 4.75 inches below the 30-year climate average of 1970-2000. But June had 10 inches, while the average is 8.36 inches, so that was 1.64 inches over. And we recorded 12.88 inches in July compared to the average of 8.72. As of Aug. 5 (and not counting Wednesday’s totals), we had recorded 5.18 inches while the average for August is 8.08, so it is up there,” said Kawecki.

Is there any break in sight? Doesn’t seem to be, says Kawecki, who noted that a low pressure system is fixated to the north in Canada and it hasn’t budged much for the past week.

“This low doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere. When we see severe thunder storms, it is caused by air masses moving through, but what seems to be happening here is there is a lot of stagnant air. Even after a front passes through there is still that low pressure area to our north in Canada. Little waves of disturbances go through and it rains, but it’s still here,” said Kawecki Wednesday.

Weather buffs have been flocking to the Weather Discovery Center in North Conway, which features interactive exhibits and daily broadcasts from the summit crew.

“We had a broadcast today and everyone wanted to know why it was raining so much,” said Kawecki.

Subaru and the observatory are presenting a six-week summer science series Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the discovery center through Aug. 20. For further information, call 356-2137.