How dry was it? Historically dry.

The West End had its driest month on record, with the 0.01 inches of rainfall tying the record from 1889, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service tracks West End weather at a station based at the Quillayute Valley Airport.

“No one alive today has experienced such dry conditions on the coast,” wrote Cliff Mass, a University of Washington atmospheric scientist who keeps a popular blog about the area’s weather at www.cliffmass.blogspot.com.

Jerry King, the Forum’s weather watcher, said he recorded 0.08 of an inch of rain during July, the same as 1960, which also was historically low. August is already creeping up on July’s rain total, as King reported 0.03 inches of rain fell last Friday, Aug. 2.

Even with the dry July, Forks has thus far on the year recorded 4.7 feet of precipitation.

Typically, the area receives 2.28 inches of rain in July, King reported. Average August rainfall is 2.43 inches.