Meteorologists have tracked the total annual rainfall in the town of Spring Valley year after year, and found that it follows a normal distribution. The average annual rainfall is 30 inches, with a standard deviation of 8 inches. In one particular year, only 18 inches of rain fell. You work for the local newspaper, and your editor has asked you do a story about the terrible drought the town is suffering from and how dire the situation is.

Based on your understanding of the underlying statistics (especially the normal curve), do you agree with your editor's sensationalist take of the situation?

Then, post a brief paragraph to explain the statistical facts to the newspaper readers. Include a comment on whether you agree that the situation is very abnormal. Make sure you use what you are learning about the normal distribution in your newspaper article, but remember: this is a newspaper article. Do not burden your reader with detailed mathematics. It is a reporter's job to grasp the situation well enough to explain it in language that the average person can understand. This is an important part of the assignment.