More than a third of an inch of rain overnight pushed December's rainfall total in Portland to 13.52 inches, officially breaking the previous wettest December record of 13.35 inches set in December 1996.

It's also the all-time wettest month ever recorded at the airport, officials said.

The National Weather Service in Portland said the record was broken at 6:53 a.m. Monday.

The December 1996 pushed the total for that year to a record 63.20 inches, the wettest year at Portland International Airport since record-keeping began there in October 1940.



The record for December rainfall in downtown Portland is 20.14 inches set in 1882. The year-end total for 1882 was a whopping 71.82 inches, nearly 6 feet of rain in a calendar year.



Despite a dry start, Portland's yearly rainfall through Dec. 20 stood at 38.20 inches, 3.99 inches above the average of 34.21 inches. Last year at this time Portland had picked up 38.65 inches for the year.



Rain has fallen every day in December, with a record 2.67 inches on Dec. 7 - the highest daily total - and .02 of an inch on Dec. 14 - the lowest daily total.



Rain remains in the forecast through Thursday, forecasters say, with the potential for a damaging windstorm Monday afternoon.

-- Stuart Tomlinson

stomlinson@oregonian.com

503-221-8313

@ORweather