In 2008, New Hampshire saw more precipitation than ever before, and local farmers hope the new year will bring drier days.

"It could definitely be a disaster if it stays wet," said Phil Fernando, co-owner of J & F Farms in Derry. "We've had a record amount of moisture this fall and winter."

The year saw a total of 57.99 inches of precipitation recorded in Concord, compared to 57.28 inches in 2005, the second highest annual total, according to the National Weather Service in Grey, Maine. The total was about 30 inches higher than an average year.

And if things don't dry out in 2009, it could affect planting this spring.

"Planting season would be impossible if it stayed wet," Fernando said. "We have 60 days to plant fields. If it starts out wet and you lose any time at all in the spring, you don't get crops."

Along with potentially shortening the planting season, wet weather also contributes to bacterial diseases, which were found in many New Hampshire fields last year, said George Hamilton, agriculturalist for the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension in Hillsborough County.

"It made it tough for farmers to manage around," Hamilton said. "It was a difficult year; many crops were damaged by bacterial fungal diseases."

One of the more prominent diseases last year was phytophthora, a bacterial root disease. That disease could return to New Hampshire fields this year if high moisture remains through the winter and spring.

"It depends on the weather we have through the winter, spring and summer," Hamilton said. "If we have a real long period of time that is moist and wet, we would see it again next year."

In the short term, the region is in for a break from snow and rain. Forecasts from the National Weather Service have Southern New Hampshire drying out over the next week.

The long-term prognosis from "The Old Farmer's Almanac," which correctly predicted a wetter-than-average summer and fall in 2008, shows average to below-average precipitation in January and February, with more snow and rain than normal in March.

While the heavy rains hurt farming, it helped the state's water supply, but only to a point.

"It does to some extent," said Brandon Kernan, a hydrologist for the state Department of Environmental Services. "Our groundwater is pretty shallow, and many of our aquifers don't have tons of storage. If we had a drought, you would still see some well problems. Things can change very quickly."

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