The year 2005 was the fifth-driest year since 1893 for Marshall, when the city began measuring rainfall and keeping precipitation records, according to city statistics supplied by resident Charles Dixon.

About 31.17 inches fell on Marshall in 2005, while average rainfall is about 51.11 inches. Only 0.55 of an inch fell in December.

The records used here may not be final since different agencies are in possession of city rainfall records and those measurements, and the monthly averages that go with them, vary slightly.

Also, seven years are missing from Marshall rain records, from 1900 through 1907.