August is the last month of summer, where warm temperatures still prevail. August temperatures can range from the triple digits for highs to lows in the 40s. August is also a wet month for the region, composing of around 6% of our yearly rainfall. Now that August is over, we can look back through the month and see if it was a continuation of summer or signs of an early Fall.
AUGUST RECAP
For those looking for signs of an early fall in August, you were probably disappointed as temperatures continued to be quite warm throughout the month. We hit 100 degrees twice, doubling the times in both June and July. There was a cooler stretch in the middle of the month before temperatures climbed back into the upper 80s and lower 90s. The last day of August was 90 degrees, when the average should be around 83.
Overall, August was a warmer than average month by a few degrees. This makes August the 22nd warmest August on record, right behind both 2020 and 2021 which occupy the higher spots.
Where the larger and more impactful deficit lies is in the precipitation. As mentioned, August is typically one of the wetter months for Nebraska and Iowa. In fact, August is the 2nd wettest month behind May. So, how did we hold up this year? Well, not so well. Average precipitation was nearly half of what we typically see during the month of August. For Omaha, we were nearly 2" below the typical amount of rainfall for the month.
SEPTEMBER LOOK-AHEAD
Will anything change into September? Temperatures should begin to cool, and although we do not see as much rain in September as in August we do still see a decent amount. Let's look at the Climate Prediction Center forecast for the month of September. These outlooks look at the overall trends, and do not mean a specific forecast.
For temperatures, September looks to remain on the warmer side. This does not mean there won't be cooler weather here and there, but overall expect the warm trend through summer to last into the first part of fall.
As for precipitation, not good news as the drought continues to worsen. Drier than average conditions look to continue through the month. Again, there will be periods of rainfall during the month, but expect those periods to be few and far between. For example, the next 7 days look to be bone dry, with the next hint of rainfall not until the middle of the month.
