BY REX SPRINGSTON

Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

As of 11 p.m. today, 8.19 inches of rain have fallen in Richmond this month. That makes this the fourt wettest April ever recorded, and the wettest since 1895, when 8.31 inches fell.

For parts of the region, the drought is over. For other parts it persists.

A recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, an overview by federal and academic scientists, said most of the eastern third of Virginia, including much of the Richmond metro area, is classified as abnormally dry -- but not drought-stricken.

However, nearly half of Virginia remained in drought according to the report. That included the area from western Chesterfield County to western Albemarle County, north to Culpeper County and south through much of south-central and Southwest Virginia. Parts of Cumberland, Albemarle, Powhatan, Amelia, Fluvanna, Goochland and Louisa counties, were in severe drought.

Rains today and during the weekend could change those designations when the next Drought Monitor report comes out Thursday.

Terry Wagner, chairman of the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, said Virginia needs several more widespread, soaking rains this spring and summer to hold off drought.

"This [rain] is very good short-term news for us, but the story remains to be told," Wagner said.

Richmond got nearly half its April rain -- 3.35 inches -- on the 20th, when a line of thunderstorms stretched across the area, said Bryan Jackson, a Weather Service meteorologist.

The region could get more rain this weekend and possibly late next week, Jackson said.

Contact Rex Springston at rspringston@timesdispatch.com.