If there is a normal for weather in southcentral Kentucky, it would be that the area is vulnerable to bouts of extreme and severe weather any time of the year.

In the past 12 to 16 months, parts of the state have endured tornadoes, ice storms, droughts, freezes and even hurricane force winds, not all within typical seasons for those things, according to state climatologist Stu Foster.

Some of the effects of those events can still be seen.

Ice storm debris still remains in many areas of central Kentucky, while Bowling Green was spared much of the devastation, Foster said. And at least the northern part of the state had just finished cleaning up debris that had been left behind from the September winds of Hurricane Ike when the January ice storm hit.

“That was arguably the worst ice storm experienced in the state’s history,” he said.

But unlike a January 1994 ice storm, area residents didn’t experience record low temperatures in the weeks that followed while thousands of people were without power. The average temperature recorded at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport in February was 42.3, compared to a normal of 38.6.

“Some farmers would argue that we are still seeing the effects of the drought in terms of the damage it caused to pasture and their state of recovery,” Foster said.

That drought began as early as late 2006 and was in full evidence in May 2007. Just the month before, fruit crops, row crops and landscaping were hit with a severe freeze. Temperatures in the area were below freezing for 47 straight hours, so the drought caused them a double whammy, he said.

That drought continued in 2008 for parts of eastern Kentucky; now the area is dealing with flash floods.

Southcentral Kentucky’s groundwater has recovered from the drought and recent rains continue to build up ground moisture.

Bowling Green’s precipitation in January, April and so far in May has been above normal, Foster said.

Readings taken at the official National Weather Service station at the local airport showed January was 1.3 inches ahead; April was .79 inches ahead; and May before Thursday’s rain was .7 inches ahead at 2.9 inches.

Foster’s Climate Center also has installed a series of weather stations, called the Mesonet, which provide weather information for additional spots. In Warren County, the Mesonet system is on Western Kentucky University’s farm off Nashville Road. The system there has measured slightly more than the airport for the year, with a total of 20.18 inches, compared to 19.51 inches.

The Mesonet system shows that 10 of May’s 15 days have received measurable rainfall.

That consistent rainfall has put farmers across the state behind in their corn planting, according to Sam Moore, owner of Green River Feed in Morgantown.

Moore, who also is on the state’s Agriculture Development Board, said Butler County is probably a little worse off than elsewhere.

“Nearly all of our tillable ground is in river bottoms and it tends to stay wet longer,” Moore said. “We probably just have about 10 percent of our corn planted and some of it will have to be replanted. Without any more rain, it’s still probably going to be the end of next week before we can get into the fields. And if it rains this weekend, it will probably be another week.”

Moore said the entire cornbelt is behind in its planting because of rain.

Kentucky’s Agricultural Statistics Service estimated that at the end of last week, statewide about 39 percent of the corn crop had been planted, compared to 67 percent the same time last year.

The service said that last week marked the sixth week out of seven with above normal rainfall for the state.

If Butler Countians are delayed in planting much more, those fields will likely be switched to soybeans.

Butler, Allen and Logan counties all experienced flooded roads over the last week.

While there is no Mesonet station in Butler County, there are some elsewhere in the region. Of those, Logan County recorded the most rainfall for May, 5.25 inches through Wednesday and an additional .51 inches Thursday. Allen County has recorded the most rainfall for the region this year with 24.42, including Thursday’s rainfall.

And even more rainfall is expected tonight and Saturday, according to the NWS.

While that rain may slow farmers from getting into fields, it could be a benefit later in the season to some gardeners or backyard vegetable growers who harvest the rain itself.

The Internet abounds with rain barrels for sale and some city governments are making use of them.

In one of the plant beds that borders a downtown Bowling Green parking lot, a rain barrel made from an old whiskey barrel is connected to a downspout on an adjacent building. A soaker hose, snaking through the plant bed, is connected to the barrel.

Russellville city government purchased barrels converted from industrial drums from an area church group. And at least for a time, some rain barrels were available for purchase locally at Sam’s Club.

There also are instructions on the Internet on how to build rain barrels. One such site is www.instructables.com/id/Need-Free-Water%3F--Build-a-Rain-Barrel.