The month of September was dry for the area with many recording little to no rainfall.

Due to the lack of rain the region saw, many are now experiencing drought conditions to start off October.

Rain during the month of September was very hit-or-miss across the Tennessee Valley. It’s been over two weeks since Huntsville has seen measurable rainfall of a tenth of an inch or more. While it’s only been two weeks for Huntsville, Muscle Shoals hasn’t recorded measurable rainfall in a month.

During the month of September, Huntsville recorded nearly 1.20 inches of rain when normally we observe nearly 3.50 inches. This led to a rain deficit of 2.30 inches. Muscle Shoals was one of the driest locations in North Alabama in September as they recorded less than a tenth of an inch of rain. This led to a rain deficit of nearly 3.50 inches.

Above is a look at some of the driest September on record for both Huntsville and Muscle Shoals when analyzing data from 2000 to 2023.

The nearly dry month for Muscle Shoals has led to this September now being the driest on record. Huntsville observed its fifth driest on record.

The Tennessee Valley wasn’t the only area to experience a lack of rainfall throughout the month of September. The dry spell has impacted all of Alabama, with 78 percent of the state now experiencing drought conditions.

In North Alabama, parts of DeKalb, Jackson, Madison, and Marshall counties are observing moderate drought conditions. The southern part of the state is experiencing the worst drought conditions.

Statistics For October 1st:

As we head into the first day of October, we will experience one of the warmest starts of the month since 2019. It was in 2019 that the record high temperature was observed in Huntsville at 99 degrees. The coolest first day of October was recorded in 1985 when the high was 59 degrees.

It will be a dry start to the month for the entire area due to the lack of rainfall. By the end of the first week, a cold front passage will bring the chance for beneficial rain showers to the region. Stick with the Weather Authority for the latest information on this rain chance.