This blog entry is a two-parter.

First, I'll give you a final October report card. We'll see what sorts of records were broken, and then, in part 2, we'll deal with the lingering effects of all that October rain... river flooding!

Part 1. Don't let the door hit you on your way out, October!

12.38 inches. That's the grand total for October of 2009, 12.38 inches! This number is significant for a few reasons...

• Wettest October ever recorded in St. Louis (records date back to the 1870s). We destroyed the previous record of 8.52" set in October of 1919.

• 4th Wettest month ever recorded in St. Louis

• Normal precipitation for October is 2.76 inches. In 2009, we received nearly 4.5 times that much!

• In October of last year (2008), we received only 1.23 inches of precipitation.

Also, with an average temperature of only 53.7 degrees, October of 2009 is ranked as the 5th coolest on record.

Part 2. Rivers still flooding!

As I am writing this, many local rivers are still above flood stage, due in large part to October's final batch of heavy rain late last week. There are so many locations reporting minor flooding that I'll focus only on the moderate to major flooding here.

Along the Mississippi...

• Grafton, IL is cresting today with minor/moderate flooding. The river will remain at or above flood stage even into this weekend.

• Chester, IL will crest Tuesday with moderate flooding. We won't drop below flood stage here until this weekend!

Along the Meramec...

• Eureak, MO is experiencing moderate flooding, cresting today, and dropping below flood stage Tuesday night.

• Valley Park, MO is cresting today, but is experiencing major flooding. The water in this area will drop below flood stage by Wednesday morning.

The news is much better along the Missouri River, where only minor flooding is taking place, and, in many locations, water levels are already dropping.

For more information...

...on the cold and wet October of 2009, click here.

...on the ongoing river flooding, click here.

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