A very dry month 

By Russell Russ

Here are the weather highlights from August as recorded at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2 SW, by the Great Mountain Forest Corporation. Norfolk 2 SW has recorded weather observations since January 1, 1932.

High temperature of 90 degrees on August 25.

Low temperature of 46 degrees on August 11 and 19.

Average temperature of 67.6 degrees, 1.7 degrees above normal.

Total precipitation of 1.92 inches, 2.64 inches below normal.

Total precipitation through August 2007 is now 30.09 inches, 4.35 inches below average, comparing with the last 75 years.

Worth noting:

This was our eighth driest August in the last 75 years. Bradley International Airport recorded its third driest August on record.

This month’s only thunderstorm occurred on August 17. It caused some minor tree damage and a relatively brief power outage.

Through the summer months we managed to hit the 90 degree mark once in July and once again in August. This is just about normal for a Norfolk summer.

There were about 9 days this month with typical hot and humid weather, but thankfully no prolonged heat waves. Here in Norfolk you can usually start to see a little fall color towards the end of August. Last year the maples were sick and didn’t provide much color. But with the dry conditions this year we are getting an early showing. It looks like it may be a colorful autumn.