Columbus (WCMH) – As the “dog days of summer” are winding down, we have already fast forward our weather to late September. Normally for the first half of August, we should see highs around 84°.
With normal highs in the middle to lower 80s by the end of the month, August is no stranger to seeing a few occasional days in the seventies, or even sixties. On average since records began (1878) we have had 8 days with highs below eighty per August.
- 22 days never hit 80° in August of 1927, the most
- Every day got to 80° or above in August of 1900, the only time that has happened
Right now, we are on a 4 day streak of high temps below 80°. That streak rivals some of the longest in the past 14 Augusts (including 2017). Below is a list of the streak of sub-80° high days in a row:
- 2017 4 (possibly 5 on Tuesday)
- 2016 2 days
- 2015 4 days
- 2014 2 days
- 2013 4 days
- 2012 1 day
- 2011 2 days
- 2010 1 day
- 2009 4 days (6 including 1st 2 days of September)
- 2008 2 days
- 2007 1 day
- 2006 4 days (11 including 1st 7 days of September)
- 2005 3 days
- 2004 7 days
If we do stay below 80° on Tuesday, this 5 day streak in August would be the longest (in August) since 2004Since 2003, we have had less than normal number of days with highs below 80° (average 5.5 days)
- 2017 4 days
- 2016 4 days
- 2015 7 days
- 2014 4 days
- 2013 7 days
- 2012 1 day
- 2011 5 days
- 2010 2 days
- 2009 10 days
- 2008 4 days
- 2007 2 days
- 2006 5 days
- 2005 7 days
- 2004 15 days
August is our last full month of Summer, and things start to change:
It is not just highs in the upper 70s that hit in August, we have had highs in the sixties as well. On August 30, 1915, our high temperature was only 60°!!2017 4 days
- 2017 73°
- 2016 77°
- 2015 68°
- 2014 77°
- 2013 70°
- 2012 73°
- 2011 75°
- 2010 79°
- 2009 69°
- 2008 73°
- 2007 77°
- 2006 72°
- 2005 73°
- 2004 67°
Can a streak like this tell us anything about the future weather?
Likely not, it is more a product of short term weather patterns. Also, in this case we also have a wet ground and thick plants/trees from a good growing summer.
But for fun, I thought we would look at how 2004 looked, since that was the last time we had a streak like this.
| Diff. from normal | ||
| Temps | Rainfall | |
| Jan | -5.4° | 2.35″ |
| Feb | -0.9° | -0.23″ |
| Mar | 1.6° | 0.25″ |
| Apr | -0.5° | 0.56″ |
| May | 4.3° | 1.76″ |
| Jun | -1.4° | 1.33″ |
| Jul | -1.6° | 1.67″ |
| Aug | -3.3° | 0.10″ |
| Sep | 1.2° | 0.14″ |
| Oct | 0° | 0.72″ |
| Nov | 1.8° | 0.92″ |
| Dec | -0.9° | 0.39″ |
So 2004, unlike this year, was generally below normal for temperatures most months of the year. Like 2017, 2004 featured a much wetter than normal year in total.
Snowfall going into the Winter months of 2004-2005 were nearly 10″ above normal too!
| Snowfall | ||
| Oct-04 | Trace | -0.2″ |
| Nov-04 | 0.1″ | -0.8″ |
| Dec-04 | 9.6″ | 4.6″ |
| Jan-05 | 10.6″ | 1.4″ |
| Feb-05 | 3.7″ | -2.4″ |
| Mar-05 | 8.6″ | 4.4″ |
| Apr-05 | 4.7″ | 3.6″ |
| Totals | 37.3″ | +10.6″ |
At this point, I think one thing we can bank on, it a continuation of these slightly below normal temperatures for at least another week to week and a half here in Central Ohio. This means highs generally in the upper 70s to lower 80s will continue.
If you have any questions about highs, lows, rainfall, snowfall, climate, or any other weather questions, email me: dmazza@wcmh.com
-Dave
