FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Rain has been easier to come by in May compared to April, but this pattern looks to be changing toward the later portion of the month.

So far in May, we’ve picked up 4.06 inches of rain in Fort Wayne; this total is through the end of the day Friday. This is over an inch and a quarter above average.

Our rainy start to the month included setting two daily record rainfalls. May 7th and May 12th each had over an inch and a half of rainfall, breaking the daily records.

Once rain ends tonight, there are currently no rain chances in the 10 Day Forecast. This is supported by the Climate Prediction Center’s 6 to 10 Day Precipitation Outlook. Even the 8 to 14 Day Precipitation Outlook is looking below average.

This would be quite the long dry stretch, but it does not look like there are enough days left in the month for us to break the record for the longest dry stretch in May. 1977 holds that record at 21 days and 2012 holds the second longest stretch at 19 days.

A long dry stretch though toward the end of May raises concerns about the development of a ‘flash drought.’ This is the rapid intensification of drought conditions. It is set in motion by below normal precipitation rates, abnormally high temperatures, wind, and radiation. The state of crops, the amount of soil moisture, and how much water is in wells and aquifers are examined to determine the strength of the drought and speed of developing drought conditions.

Thankfully, we’re running above normal in terms of precipitation and the temperature forecast for the next ten days is not looking extreme, but we’ll have to watch closely. It is likely though a long dry spell will eventually decrease soil moisture and the amount of water available.

For the latest updates to drought conditions, visit this link. For full forecast updates, visit our WANE 15 Forecast Page.