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The Roanoke Valley's two main water supply reservoirs are full and the state of Virginia is almost out of drought (the yellow on the map represents "abnormally dry" on the latest U.S. Drought Monitor ... there were orange and red colors on there for severe to extreme drought a few months ago) and yet Roanoke has STILL not had a single month this year with above-normal rainfall. We were a half-inch down in January, nearly 2 inches down in February, about a third of an inch down in March and, with 3.20 inches, will finish April .41 inch below normal in what seemed like a pretty wet month until the late hit of hot, dry weather (accompanied by a yellow film of pollen on EVERYTHING as the trees exploded into full-leaf mode in the Roanoke Valley in what seemed like a few hours).

The picture is a little skewed because it focuses only on the official rainfall measurement at the Roanoke Regional Airport. Rainfall amounts in many systems have been higher in surrounding areas, and of course much of that drains downward into the soil and the valleys and the reservoirs. Several rains have been widespread rather than just spotty. It's been about timing, too: Several good steady rains at a time of the year when tree roots aren't sucking everything out of the ground. Well, now they will be, so we might need to pick up the pace a bit if we are to keep everything nice and green and the soil moist through the months ahead.

Upcoming this weekend: Likely some thunderstorms, as a pretty strong cold front pushes into the region with some warm, humid air in place. But it appears the rain is focusing west of us the next several days.