Table 32. Rainfall in coastal Alabama based on 25 years data, 1955-79 (modi- 

 fied from Crance 1971). 



Mean precipitation (inches) 

 Bay 

 Minette Fairhope Gulf Fort 

 Mobile 3 (Bay Mi- (Bay Mi- Robertsdale Shores b Morgan 

 (Mobile nette nette (Bay Minette (Pensacola (Pensacola 

 Location quad) quad) quad) quad) quad) quad) 



a 1941-80. 



b 1955- 74 station closed. 



c 1955-75 station closed. 



d Annual mean may not correspond to monthly means due to method of calculation 



During the spring and summer, south and southeasterly winds blow from the 



Gulf of Mexico. These warm offshore winds are heavily laden with moisture 



and the resulting convective activity generates numerous thunderstorms. This 



thundershower activity, which averages about 87 days a year, generates the 

 maximum rainfall of the year (0 'Neil and Mettee 1982). 



At Robertsdale the average monthly precipitation in July is 20.6 cm 



(8.12 inches); at Mobile, 19.2 cm ( 7.5 7 inches) . At Ft. Morgan (Biloxi quad- 



132 



