August 2012 Revisited

August 2012, compared to historical averages:

Above average: Temperature
Average or near: Solar radiation
Below Average: Rain, wind
 
In August, my station's average temperature of 71.5° was WAY warmer than the long term August average of 66.7°, and considerably warmer than the more recent (2001-2011) average of 68.8°.  The official average temperature in Hood River, recorded at HOXO, was 70.1°.

This made for the warmest August at my weather station since before 2001, and the warmest official August in HR since 2004.   Hot stuff, after a series of summers with mostly lower than average temperatures.

The maximum temperature (at my station) was 104°, and the low temp was 46°. Official Hood River highs and lows (at HOXO) were 102° and 41°.  The high heat index (at my station) for the month was 102°, and the low wind chill was 46°.

Solar radiation averaged 573 Ly/day, compared to an average August solar radiation of 571 Ly/day.  Almost exactly average.

It was, as August's often are, a very dry month.  I had 0.02" for a monthly precip total at my station, and HOXO officially recorded:  Nothing.  An average August historically receives 0.36", but the last time we had any officially recorded rain in August was back in 2008.

The 24 hour average wind speed at my weather station was 4.2 mph, compared to an average August wind speed of 3.8 mph. The peak wind gust was 29 mph.   Wind speeds at other less sheltered locations, such as the Columbia River, were, of course, higher.  

Barometric pressure peaked at 30.16", and the low barometric was 29.69".

There was one local weather record set this month. On the 6th, the low temperature only dropped to 68°, breaking the old "high low" record of 67° set in 2010.

These monthly summaries use data from my weather station located near May and Rand Streets in Hood River. To view my weather station's data for August 2012, click here. For official Hood River data, and historical averages/records, the data comes from both the manually read NOAA station at MCAREC, and HOXO, the automated station located right next to MCAREC.

August 2012 was special, astronomically speaking, due to the Full Moon occurring twice within the month.  Sadly, these Blue Moons aren't actually blue, which would be really special.   And they're not all that unusual either, but the next one won't happen until July 2015.