Rain in June Gets NJ Back to Normal [AUDIO]

The recent rainfall may have posed an inconvenience for your commutes and nighttime plans, but it's exactly what the state needed.

The drenching from Tropical Storm Andrea late last week, followed by the heavy rains Monday, brought New Jersey's precipitation amounts to about average for the calendar year.

"We had been running on the drier side," said Dave Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University.

New Jersey could hit record numbers for the month of June, however, if significant rainfall events keep coming through. With nearly three weeks to go before July, the state is already above average for precipitation.

The state record for June was set in 2003 when New Jersey averaged 8.61 inches of rain. Robinson estimated the state is currently averaging four-and-a-half to five inches of rain so far this June.

"We have some spots scattered around the state that are already knocking on the door of six to seven inches for the month," Robinson added.

Recent downpours have prepared the state for any extended periods of no precipitation, according to Robinson, noting that streams and reservoirs are now in great shape.

"We've really guaranteed ourselves an absence of significant drought worries well into the summer," Robinson said.