The warm weather over the weekend was a nice break from the multiple downpours the area has endured over the past few months. According to the National Weather Service, July marked the 10th wettest month for Elkins since 1899.

National Weather Service meteorologist Ken Batty said Elkins received 8.38 inches of rain in July. With 3 more inches of rain accumulating in August, he said Elkins would crack the top 10 wettest summers in history. The National Weather Service considers June, July and August as summertime for the measurements, he said.

"In July, Elkins saw their wettest rainfall in more than 100 years," Batty said. "In the summertime, precipitation varies quite a bit, even from one part of Elkins to another, depending on where the thunderstorms happen. If you go a mile or two away, it's going to be different."

Batty said the gauge at the Elkins-Randolph County Airport measured 8.38 inches of rainfall in July. Another gauge measured 7.68 inches near downtown Elkins, which he said is still a lot wetter than usual.

"July is typically our wettest month," Batty said. "You get a frequency of thunderstorms and it doesn't have to rain very long to get an inch or two of rain."

Geographically, Batty said the heaviest rains have fallen west and southwest of the Middle Fork River near the communities of Helvetia, Pickens and Rock Cave.

"The main theme so far this summer has been the lack of extreme heat and lack of prolonged dry spells," Batty said. "This time of year, when we get into mid-August, many of the small streams and runs that are coming down off the mountains are not running or are in a few pools, but this year many of our streams are still running and there is an ample water supply."

Batty also said the highest temperature for Elkins thus far in 2009 was 88 degrees in April.

He said typically July is the warmest month.

"The heat and dryness feed on each other," Batty said. "The cycle has not started this summer. The lack of both have kind of been the key of this summer so far."