Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Alisa Boswell: Portales News-TribuneMonday's rain left puddles throughout the area, including the intersection of First and Main streets. Portales received about of 1/4 inch of rain Monday, according to weather officials.
It was simply water to some eastern New Mexico residents, and drenched streets to motorists, but local farmers felt another way about the weekend precipitation.
Alisa Boswell: Portales News-Tribune
Monday's rain left puddles throughout the area, including the intersection of First and Main streets. Portales received about of 1/4 inch of rain Monday, according to weather officials.
"It's a godsend," said local vegetable farmer Don Wiley. "Up until today, we weren't able to plant at all. If we hadn't gotten this rain, there wouldn't have been a farmer's market this year. That's how desperate things were."
As of Monday afternoon, Curry County had seen more than an inch of rain since Friday, most of it Monday when .82 inches was recorded. Roosevelt County had seen close to two inches since Friday, with .26 inches on Monday.
"It's definitely making it safer to plant our corn and our cotton and such," said Roosevelt County farmer Rick Ledbetter, who grows cotton, wheat and corn. "It will give us an easier start here, but not enough to make an entire crop and get us all the way, but I think it's the beginning of a different (weather) pattern."
J.L. Wall, who farms a mile north of Cannon Air Force Base, said his meter showed .6 inches of rain.
"It's going to help quite a bit," Wall said. "We've planted some corn. It will help it come up."
Wilma Fulgham of Clovis said she dumped her rain gauge Monday morning with a reading of .2 inches, but noted that it filled up another .7 inches by early evening.
Grady Bright, a retired grain employee who lives in the Melrose area, said he only read .08 inches of rain Monday, but heard that nearby Forrest had received about three times that amount.
Although recent downpours have local farmers feeling hopeful of more rain, meteorologists are less optimistic. Weather forecasts for the remainder of the week predicting no moisture and temperatures in the lower to mid-90s.
Chris Luckett, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, said there is no way to predict moisture levels beyond this week.
"If we have a ridge (area of high pressure) that sits over us, we're going to be dry for awhile," Luckett said.
Luckett said whether high pressure will build over eastern New Mexico again or not is not known, so there is an even chance of more rain after this week.
Area rain totals Monday as of 7:30 p.m. (MDT):
Source: connectamarillo.com
