If you thought this summer has been cooler and wetter than usual, it turns out you are right.

According to statistics from the National Weather Service in Charleston, W.Va., summer precipitation has been substantially above normal, while temperatures have stayed on the low side.

"What we've had is a low pressure system that hovered over the Great Lakes, and a lot of moisture from the south being pumped into the area," meteorologist Eddie Whitehead said. "Temperatures have stayed low because of a lot of clouds and the amount of precipitation."

Whitehead said July precipitation recorded at Tri-State Airport in Huntington, W.Va., amounted to 7.29 inches- nearly three inches above normal. For the first 13 days of August, precipitation has amounted to 3.81 inches. Normal measurements thus far into the month are usually 1.62 inches.

July and August rainfall follow a pattern established earlier this year. precipitation has been above normal every month in 2003.

Average temperatures for the month of July have been 1.4 degrees below normal as well.

Whitehead said warmer days are approaching as we head into the latter part of August. He said the mercury will rise to the mid -eighties by the weekend, and should hit the 90-degree mark by early next week.

The weather has proved to have a detrimental effect on crops.

Proctorville resident Carl Davis said the crops in his small garden are doing fine now, but that was not the case earlier this summer.

"I've had more trouble with beans. They would rot while they were in the ground," Davis said. "My corn has been fine, but the blossoms rotted on my tomatoes."