2017 rainfall total was second lowest in 21st century

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Scurry County’s rainfall total in 2017 was the second lowest this century.

The county received 15.02 inches of rain in 2017, second only to 2011’s 9.07 inches. That was the year of the West Texas drought that led to several wildfires in the state.

The most rainfall recorded in Scurry County was 44.02 inches in 1941. The most rainfall this century was 42.74 inches in 2004.

Over the last year, Lake J.B. Thomas has gone from 64.5 percent to 48.3 percent capacity. 

The lake went from 128,909 acre-feet to 97,335 acre-feet over the past year, according to the Water Data for Texas website.

Entering 2018, the northern portion of the county is listed as abnormally dry, the lowest of the five drought stages, by the U.S. Drought Monitor. 

The northern portion of Borden and Fisher counties are  also listed as abnormally dry this week.

Currently, 37 percent of the state is listed as drought-free.