The FoxMill Weather Station temperature-compensated soil moisture tension readings at the 3 and 5 inch levels are 16.1 and 31.4 centibars respectively in Buckhall marine clay with 3.7% fine gravel/particulates and 3¾ inch mowed dense fescue overcover where the ground sensors are located. Ground temps at the same depths are 49.6°F and 49.4°F. Soil moisture education note: Barring a torrential downpour resulting in standing field water, the soil moisture levels at 3 & 5 inches in the station’s marine clay will lag rainfall by 12 - 30 hours due to the fescue moisture uptake and slow percolation through the clay soil. Levels at 8 & 16 inches are relatively stable.

2022 end-of-year totals: precip 47.24 inches, ETo 31.262 inches resulting in a surfeit of 15.978 inches of runoff. 

February 2023 month-end totals: precip 2.57 inches; ET 1.359 inch resulting in a ground moisture surfeit of 1.211 inch.  

A total of 0.72 inch of precipitation was recorded in the past seven days since the last Condition Monitoring Report was submitted. Weekly evapotranspiration (ETo) total was 0.635 inch resulting in a 0.085 inch ground moisture surfeit.

Weekly average ETo 0.091 inch per day.

This morning’s weighted soil-moisture tension reading has us in the 3rd quarter of the very-wide “Near Normal” range in Buckhall marine clay as defined by CoCoRaHS. 

March 2023 cumulative totals-to-date: precip 1.37 inch; ETo 1.870 inch resulting in a monthly ground moisture deficit of 0.500 inch which correlates nicely (high R^2) with the observed soil moisture readings after accounting for the last precipitation type, weighted rate of fall, amount, duration, surface water runoff, ground temperatures, ETo and the previous 30 day rolling measured data. 

Yearly moisture (2023) through this morning’s 0600 hour CoCoRaHS reading: precip 5.69 inches, ETo 4.002 inches, resulting in a surfeit of 1.688 inches of runoff. NOTE: The Dulles Airport historical precipitation yearly average for the recorded period 1964 - 2022 was 41.76 inches; the wettest year on record was 66.75 inches of precipitation in 2018. Washington DC’s historical yearly average for the same period was 40.45 inches; wettest year in recorded history was also 2018, 66.28 inches. Same with FoxMill Weather Station, 2018 was our wettest year on record, 71.47 inches of precipitation with a historical average of 53.34 inches, all measured on an 8-inch NWS Standard Rain Gauge.

Yearly comparisons as of last Saturday’s report: Precipitation — FoxMill Sta 4.97 inches, Dulles Aprt 4.37 inches (18.2 miles N), National Aprt 4.38 inches (23.8 miles NEbE). Seasonal Snowfall (2022 - 2023) — FoxMill 0.3 inch, Dulles 0.4 inch, National 0.4 inch.

FoxMill Weather Station provides an automated live weather summary by merely clicking on the URL below. Note that the IP is collected for statistical reasons to analyze the CoCoRaHS usage patterns.

https://tinyurl.com/FoxMill

Data reported by: observer2 (ampersat) foxmill.us at FoxMill Weather Station, Saturday morning, 25 March 2023.