August 2010
Report and Summary
Tyler, Texas
August 2010
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer
August 2010 was much warmer and drier than normal. In fact, it was the fifth warmest August on record, with an average temperature of 86.7 deg. The warmest August on record was 1951 with 88.0 deg. For an average temperature. Rainfall was about 40 percent of normal. Compared with August 2009, the month was 4.2 deg. Warmer, and 1.40 inches drier.
Year-to-date rainfall through August 31 was 2.12 inches greater in 2010 than in 2009.
For nearly the entire month, upper air high pressure controlled the area's weather. The effects of the heavy June rains on soils and vegetation had worn off, and soil temperatures reached the lower 90s. This meant that nighttime temperatures ran several degrees warmer than normal for most of the month. The thirty-day outlook had called for near normal temperatures and above normal precipitation.
The week August 1-7 saw temperatures about 4 degrees above normal, and no rainfall. An upper air high pressure ridge controlled the area's weather for the entire week. Two tropical lows entered the state during, the week bringing a few afternoon showers. There was, however, no rain in Tyler. The week's average temperature was 87.7 deg., 4.3 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 3.6 deg. Warmer, and 0.33 inch drier.
The week August 8-14 saw temperatures about 5 deg. Above normal, and rainfall about one- fourth normal. Upper air high pressure was in control. Temperatures continued rising as soil temperatures climbed into the lower 90s, and the cooling effects of June's heavy rainfall disappeared. A weak surface boundary caused isolated showers on the afternoon of the 12th, which brought the week's rainfall. The week's average temperature was 88.6 deg., which was 0.9 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Rainfall was 0.16 inch. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 5.3 deg. Warmer, and there was no rainfall in 2009.
The week August 15-21 saw temperatures about 5 deg. Above normal, and rainfall about one- third normal. The upper air ridge was present for virtually the entire week. Widely scattered afternoon showers developed on most days, due mainly to daytime heating and the moist atmosphere. Best coverage was on the 18th and 19th. Tyler's average temperature during the week was 87.9 deg., which was 0.7 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Rainfall was 0.20 inch. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 4.5 deg. Warmer, and there was no rainfall in 2009.
The week August 22-28 was slightly cooler, with temperatures about 2 deg. Above normal and no rainfall. After starting out with the highest temperatures of the Summer, a cold front brought lower readings and comfortable relative humidities on the 25th, which persisted through the end of the week. >From the 25th through the 28th, temperatures were a few degrees below normal. A dry air column or no available lifting energy prevented the formation of any rainfall. The week's average temperature was 83.9 deg., 4.0 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2009, the week was 2.8 deg. Warmer, and 0.38 inch drier.
Slightly above normal temperatures and humid air returned for the final three days of the month. Widely scattered thunderstorms developed each afternoon, with rain falling in Tyler on the 30th. A weakness in the upper air high pressure ridge combined with the ample moisture and daytime heating to produce the showers.
- KEY TO SYMBOLS:
- A = HAIL
- B = BLOWING
- D = DUST
- F = FOG
- H = HAZE
- IP = SLEET
- K = SMOKE
- L = DRIZZLE
- R = RAIN
- S = SNOW
- T = THUNDERSTORM
- Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME
- ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE
- ZR = FREEZING RAIN
- - = LIGHT
- + = HEAVY
R FOLLOWING A TEMPERATURE OR PRECIPITATION VALUE = RECORD
The reporting period for temperatures, precipitation, and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.
Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.
AUGUST 2010 DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS- DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS
- 01 91 70 72 1.78 T, F, +F, PCPN 2100-2400
- MN 0000-1200 77
- DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS
- 01 100 74 98
- 02 100 72 97
- 03 99 78 96
- 04 99 78 95
- 05 99 78 96
- 06 100 78 81 OVERNIGHT LOW 79
- 07 98 75 95
- 08 97 78 92 H
- 09 99 77 94
- 10 100 78 90
- 11 100 78 95
- 12 98 79 94 0.16 T, F, PCPN 1800-1900
- 13 100 78 95
- 14 99 79R 97
- 15 101 80 98
- 16 98 78 95
- 17 98 76 91
- 18 100 77 82 0.20 PCPN 2000-2100
- 19 96 76 84 tr. T
- 20 97 77 94
- 21 99 77 96
- 22 101 79R 96
- 23 102 78 94
- 24 98 76 93
- 25 86 73 84
- 26 92 70 87 MORNING LOW 72
- 27 93 64 88
- 28 95 68 91
- 29 94 73 88
- 30 93 75 0.71 T, H, F, PCPN 2000-2200 MORNING LOW 78
- 31 93 74 87 0.02 F., PCPN 0000-0100
AUGUST 2010, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:
- AUGUST 2010 IS THE FIFTH WARMEST MONTH, WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
- OF 86.7 F., REPLACING 86.5 IN 1902;
- 14TH, EQUALED RECORD HIGH MINIMUM OF 79, FIRST SET IN 1934;
- 22ND, EQUALED RECORD HIGH MINIMUM 79, FIRST SET IN 1924 AND 1934;
- HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 102 ON THE 22ND,
- LOWEST TEMPERATURE 64 ON THE 27TH;
- AVERAGE MAXIMUM 97.5 F.,
- AVERAGE MINIMUM 75.8 F.,
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 86.7 F.,
- 3.4 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.
- 0 HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
- 0 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
- 703 COOLING DEGREE DAYS,
- 124.4 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
- TOTAL PRECIPITATION 1.09 IN.,
- 1.52 IN. LESS THAN MONTHLY NORMAL.
- 41.8 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION.
- YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 29.09 IN.,
- 1.48 IN. GREATER THAN NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION,
- 105.4 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION;
- 3 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;
- 4 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED;
- 4 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO BETWEEN « AND 6 MILES BY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS BY FOG;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED;
- 0 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL.
- 30 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEG.;
- 10 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEG.;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FAILED TO RISE ABOVE 32 DEG.
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
- 0 SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
- PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 0;
- 2301 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
- PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 115.4;
- PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 55.76 IN.,
- TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 123.2.