Climate Highlight
August-September Precipitation

The 10 years over a 104 year spread in which August precipitation was a maximum exhibited very little temperature variation from the average.  The temperatures were isolated to within a few degrees for the 104 year average, not making this a particularly warm or cool period; also not making these particular years anomalous in respect to temperature.   However, the interesting fact lies in the precipitation in the months of August and September.  After a particularly moist August, September seems to exhibit a significant drop in precipitation creating a yearly August to September trend of moist to relatively dry.  Below are the ranges for each set of divisional data. 

 Division 2

Max August Temperature Departure from Average (70.33^o F): +4.17^o F / -4.03^o F  

Max September Temperature Departure from Average (63.3^o F): +2.70^o F /-2.00^o F

Max Change in Precipitation from August-September:  10.29in

Division 6

Max August Temperature Departure from the Average (66.53^o F): +4.17^o F / -2.53^o F 

Max September Temperature Departure from Average (59.58^o F): +3.52^o F /-4.48^o F

Max Change in Precipitation from August-September:  6.15in

Division 8

Max August Temperature Departure from the Average (58.81^o F): +14.69^o F / -0.00^o F    

Max September Temperature Departure from Average (62.62^o F): +3.28^o F /-5.12^o F

Max Change in Precipitation from August-September:  4.87in

Note: Division 8 exhibited a substantial increase in temperature, most likely aiding to the large amount of precipitation in August.

Division 10

Max August Temperature Departure from the Average (67.44^o F): +4.16^o F / -3.74^o F 

Max September Temperature Departure from Average (61.20^o F): +1.70^o F /-4.70^o F 

Max Change in Precipitation from August-September:  4.64in

 
 
Summation: 
 
    In general, the temperature did not vary more than 4 degrees higher or lower than the 104 year average.  In the 10 years observed, the times when the temperature had a maximum increase from average were typically equaled out by another year where the temperatures had a maximum decrease from average.  Because of this, it is difficult to say that temperature helped to account for the significant precipitation decrease from August to September.  However, it can be said from the above data that for years with great precipitation and mild temperatures in the month of August, the following September will, in all likeliness, illustrate a significant decrease in moisture from the previous month.

- Brandon Katz