By Chuck Otte
County Extension Agent, Retired
August was slightly cooler than normal, in fact it was the coolest August since 2019, and it’s doubtful that anyone minded. Rainfall was slightly below normal, but not by very much.
The average daily high for August was 85.2, 2.8 degrees below normal. The average overnight low was 66.4 which was one tenth of a degree above normal. This resulted in a monthly mean temperature of 75.8, 1.4 degrees below normal. The highest temperature for the month was 101 degrees on the 8th. This was the first occurrence this summer of a reading of 100 or higher, and with any luck, it’ll be the last as well! The last time the area saw a temperature of 100 or above was 348 days prior when it reached 103 on August 25, 2024. The lowest temperature for the month was 55 degrees on the 26th. That was the first low temperature below 60 that we had seen since the 54 degree reading the morning of June 11th. The daily high temperatures during August were uncommonly mild. The area only experienced highs of 90 or above on 6 days during the month. Over the past 30 years the average has been 14 days with 90 or above. Conversely, we had 8 days with highs below 80 degrees. The 30 year average is only 4 days (3.7 to be precise) with daily August highs below 80. There were no temperature records set or tied during August. The hottest August on record was in 2000 when we had a sweltering mean temperature of 85 degrees. The coldest August on record was in 1981 with a monthly mean temperature of 71.5. 1981 was the year of the earliest frost on record, September 17th.
August rainfall was scattered throughout the month with appreciable rainfall occurring about every ten days. Long term average August rainfall is 4.55 inches. August 2025 came in just under that at 4.20 inches. Year to date we are running right at the long term average. Normal year to date precipitation through August is 25.65 inches and in 2025 we have had 25.88 inches. The wettest August on record was 2013 with 10.33 inches of rain. The driest August was in 1971 when no precipitation was recorded.
September brings the official start of autumn in the early afternoon of September 22nd. It also signals the cooler weather to come. Average daily high on September 1st is 85 and by the 30th we have dropped to 75. Overnight lows start the month around 64 and by the end of the month have dropped to 51. September also signals the move out of our “wet” season as we transition towards our much drier winter months. Long term average September rainfall is 2.85 inches and yes, that is all rainfall. Winter lovers have to wait until mid to late October for the first chance of snowflakes, slim as that chance may be. Long term average October snowfall is a mere one tenth of an inch!