While some continue to deal with intense drought, others were left with a deluge of rain on top of the parched soil.
From Aug. 21 to 22, Dallas, Texas, and surrounding areas picked up heavy rain that led to widespread flooding. Over 9 inches of rain fell in some spots, which brought it up to the wettest August on record for DFW Airport (that record is 10.33 inches of rain in August 1915). This comes on an area that was in the exceptional drought category on the U.S. Drought Monitor the week before the flooding rain. This also follows a stretch of no measurable rain for DFW that began June 4 and lasted until Aug. 10, according to the National Weather Service.
Another spot in Texas that has been dry is Laredo, which experienced a 77-day stretch without measurable rain that finally ended Aug. 11. In the days following Aug. 11, the city picked up 4.35 inches of rain.
Other parts of southern Texas also picked up hefty totals including 6.2 inches from Aug. 13 to 15 for Corpus Christi.
Record heat was also felt in August. One example was Russell, Kansas, which reached record highs of 108 and 107 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, on Aug. 6 and 7.
In the global view, La Niña conditions remain and La Niña is forecast to continue into the fall and winter.
In terms of what’s ahead for the next month, below average precipitation is forecast for almost all of Kansas (except the southern portion) into the northern Plains.
Also for the month of September, temperatures are expected to remain above average for western Texas and western Oklahoma as well as Kansas and Nebraska.
The three-month outlook favors above average temperatures for all of the southern to central Plains.
Through November, moisture looks to stay below seasonal norms for most of Texas and all of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for next month’s update.
Editor’s note: Regina Bird grew up on a farm near Belleville, Kansas. The views from the farm helped spur her interest in weather. Following high school, she went on to get a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Kansas. She currently works as a meteorologist for NTV and KFXL in central Nebraska. Follow her on Twitter: @ReginaBirdWX
