It rained hard overnight and into this morning here on the coast, reportedly bringing our precipitation level to over five inches from July 1 through July 30; that’s at least an inch (25%) more than the monthly average for this, historically our driest, month, which has a rainy day to go.
The rain and frequent fog seem to have had a positive effect on our field flora, which are appearing sooner and longer than in past years:
The above image, taken two days ago (July 28), shows our Common Milkweed still robust, albeit with faded florets; Queen Anne’s Lace, still strong after coming in early; and Goldenrod, which has been coming in for over a week, although it usually doesn’t arrive here until August. (There’s also a Monarch Butterfly appreciating the Goldenrod, which seems to be Seaside Goldenrod [Solidago sempervirens] in this part of the field.) Other pollinators are loving the Goldenrod, as well:
The rain has relieved Maine from drought and dryness in the counties on our seacoast and along our northeast border with Canada. However, most of the State still has a dryness problem. Yesterday’s weekly U.S. Department of Agriculture Drought Monitor Map, tabulating data as of July 27, shows that the majority of Maine remains “abnormally dry” (yellow), in “moderate drought” (tan), or in “severe drought” (burnt orange):
(Brooklin, Maine)