Last month was the wettest month on record in Rapid City, and despite the way June is starting out, it isn't likely another record is in the making, according to National Weather Service technician Bill Cecil.

Although periods of heavy rain are expected for the next few days, and flood warnings are in effect, Cecil said the "odds are slim" that the June record of 9.07 inches set in 1947 will fall.

Persistent rains are expected for the rest of today, and there is a possibility of continued unsettled weather for the next several days.

"There'll be one disturbance after another," Cecil said Wednesday morning. "The pattern doesn't seem to want to break."

Widespread rainfall - up to one or two inches - is expected throughout the region, with local heavy rain amounts of two to five inches possible on the northern and eastern slopes of the Black Hills, according to meteorologist Greg Richards.

Richards said people will need to pay attention to local media outlets to "keep track of what's going on."

The abundance of rain is caused by changes in the weather patterns that kept precipitation out of the region for the past several years, Cecil said.

But, that doesn't mean the abundance of moisture isn't creating a few problems throughout the area.

Soils are saturated, and with more rain in the forecast, already swollen waterways are expected to leave their channels, according to National Weather Service hydrologist Melissa Smith.

With the Little Missouri River at Camp Crook slightly above flood stage Wednesday morning, flood warnings were issued for Harding County.

Early Wednesday morning, a storm that moved through Rapid City dumped from one to two inches of precipitation in some parts of town. Early-morning commuters encountered minor flooding on their drives to work, Don Brumbaugh, Rapid City street division superintendent, said.

"The inlets couldn't take it as fast as it was coming in," Brumbaugh said.

Those areas included along Jackson Boulevard, on St. Joseph Street near Haley Park and areas along Omaha in downtown Rapid City.

"People did slow down. They respected the water. But a few did stall out in the high water," he said.

The late-afternoon drive home for some commuters turned hazardous for people living north of Rushmore Mall when a thunderstorm pounded the area with hail and heavy rain.

Hydrologist Smith had reports of up to four inches of hail blanketing Seger Drive. There was also a report of 1.5-inch hail at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Portions of Country Road and Nike Roads were submerged, stopping traffic. Water also covered several other streets in the area.

City engineers have closed about 2,000 feet of Skyline Drive, south of Pevans Parkway, to through traffic until the city can stabilize a slope weakened by the heavy rains.

As the afternoon storm system moved across the area Wednesday, there were reports of funnel clouds in northeastern Wyoming, northwestern South Dakota and east of the Black Hills.

Most of the funnel clouds were cold air funnel clouds, according to Richards.

An air funnel is a high, weak circulation that occurs in a cool air mass. Since these funnels develop well above the ground and are weak, they rarely impact the surface - although they can look threatening.

"They usually don't touch the ground. If they do, they're usually weak enough that they don't cause of any damage," Richards said.

Over the next few days, Smith warns people not to drive through flooded areas. "Take an alternate route if the road in front of you is flooded."

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com