I get my info from
www.wunderground.com. You can search History and Almanac for any area by day, week, month, year, or custom (from-to). Wunderground does not go back further than 1997, when it was started.
To answer your actual question, this year (as compared to previous years from 1 Jan to Sep 26 of each year), at 57.7 inches so far, has had the most rain for the same time period going back all the way to 1997 (which is when I got here). And, ironically, we have had no tropical storms of any kind yet! Second place is 2003, in which we got 55.84 (again, with no tropical storms). Third place goes to 2005, at 54.63 (but we had TD Arlene, Cat 3 Dennis, and Katrina and Rita nearby). Fourth goes to 2010, at 52.52 (with only TD #5). Fifth goes to 2012, at 50.17 (with only Hurricane Isaac anywhere nearby). Sixth goes to 2011, at 47.36 (no storms). Seventh goes to 2002, at 39.65 (with only TS Hannah). Eighth goes to 1998, at 39.54 (with Cat 2 Georges). Ninth goes to 2004, at 37.96 (with Cat 3 Ivan). Rounding out the Top 10 is 1997, at 35.21 (with TD Danny).
After that, you have 2009, at 34.25 (TS Claudette and TS Ida); 2001, at 34.06 (with TS Allison and TS Barry); 2008, at 28.08 (with TS Faye and TS Gustav); 2007, at 24.94 (with TD #10); 2006, at 22.15 (no storms); 1999, at 19.98 (no storms); and, finally, 2000, at 16.18 (with TS Helene).
If you were to throw out the highest and lowest 5 years, then the "average" would be about 38" (I didn't calculate exactly, for those who need a "to the hundredth" figure). Also, I got the info on tropical storms that impacted our area (even in a minor way), from
www.noaa.gov.
Hope that helps.
