Despite a slowdown in rainfall for Denver in July, 2021 is outpacing 2020 in precipitation total by a large margin with nearly double the rainfall this year compared to this time last year.

Denver has seen 11.67 inches of rain so far this year, according to reports from the National Weather Service in Boulder. At this time in 2020, that total was just 6.15 inches, a difference of 5.52 inches. This year’s total has also surpassed the precipitation total for the entirety of last year, which was 8.74 inches. July 2021, however, saw just .34 inches of rain compared to .95 inches last year.

About 14.30 inches falls in Denver annually. That total is based on the 30year average recorded by the National Weather Service.

July and August typically rank in the top five months in terms of total rainfall. July is usually second with an average of 2.14 inches and August is fifth with 1.58 inches, per National Weather Service hydrologist Treste Huse. May usually sees the most rainfall at 2.16 inches.

Huse credits monsoon moisture from the southwest as a reason for the increased totals. Warm air above the ocean near Mexico absorbs moisture and moves north through Arizona, New Mexico and up through the four corners. That moisture brings heavier rain, intense thunderstorms, and can lead to flash floods.

Huse said the weather should begin to dry out Thursday or Friday this week, but monsoon rains could return.