by Barney Leach
Rainfall deficit for the year continues with less than half normal for August. We had three days with measurable rainfall over a four-day period for a total of 1.13 inches. The greatest one-day total was 0.56 inch on August 12.
Normal rainfall for August is 2.43 inches. Total rainfall for the year now stands at 20.09 inches. Normal through August is 27.61 inches.
Temperature-wise, August was HOT with 26 days with triple-digit temperatures. We had a high temperature of 105 degrees on August 18th and 23rd and a low of 62 degrees on August 1st and 2nd.
The three hottest months of the year are behind us so we should start seeing cooler days ahead.
2018 RAINFALL BY MONTH IN INCHES
Month Rainfall (inches) Normal Departure
January 0.74 3.62 -2.88
February 4.58 3.36 +1.22
March 5.83 4.33 +1.50
April 1.18 3.30 -2.12
May 3.86 4.59 -0.73
June 0.78 4.03 -3.25
July 1.99 1.95 +0.04
August 1.13 2.43 -1.30
Totals 20.09 27.61 -7.52
LOOKING AHEAD TO SEPTEMBER: September is normally our fourth hottest month of the year. However, over the past 24 years, we have had our hottest day of the year occur in September twice.
Normal rainfall for September is 3.06 inches.
The ‘2018 Old Farmer’s Almanac’ calls for a wetter and warmer than normal September.
Normal rainfall values currently used were derived from averages over the twenty-year period from 1997 through 2016.
The above rainfall and temperature data was recorded by Barney Leach, former volunteer co-op weather volunteer for the National Weather Service and former weather volunteer for Channel 8 in Dallas, Channel 10 in Waco, and radio station KNES in Fairfield.
