Stormy May delivers nearly 7 inches of rain

For the second straight month, Albany found itself soaked by well-above-average rainfall. The city recorded 6.87 inches of rain in May, continuing a spring pattern of unusually wet weather across Shackelford County. This marks the wettest May since 2019 and the fourth-highest total for the month since 2000.

May’s total narrowly topped April’s 6.26 inches, bringing the combined rainfall for the two months to more than 13 inches. The town’s historical average for May sits at 3.99 inches, meaning this year’s figure nearly doubled expectations.

Only three other years in the past quarter-century recorded more rain in May:

• 2016 – 9.07 inches

• 2015 – 8.99 inches

• 2019 – 7.46 inches

But this year’s wet weather didn’t come quietly. Many of the May storms brought severe thunderstorms, including multiple tornado warnings and high winds that caused damage around the county. Fallen tree limbs, power outages, and minor property damage were reported following some of the stronger systems that passed through the area.

Despite the rain, overall reservoir levels remain a concern. Hubbard Creek Reservoir saw only modest gains and continues to hover around 50 percent of capacity.