August’s weather was warmer and much drier than normal, statewide. The average temperature was 1.7°F warmer than the 20th-century mean of 79.3°F. However, the most notable aspect of the month was the lack of rainfall. Statewide, only 1.29 inches of precipitation was recorded—3.05 inches below normal—making this August the driest on record. The previous driest August was in 1925 (1.81”) which was soon followed by the hottest temperature ever recorded in Alabama 5 days into September, 112°F in Centreville. 

Most of the month was unseasonably warm with 35 stations reaching or eclipsing 100°F. Two stations, FWS Bon Secour station and Muscle Shoals Airport, recorded the warmest location of the month at 103°F on the 6th and 16th respectively. While most of the month was warmer than normal, there was a nice reprieve from the heat from about the 19th through the 26th of August thanks to an upper-level trough that brought in lower humidity and cooler temperatures. During this unseasonal cool period, the Vinemont 2NNW station recorded the coldest temperature of the month at 51°F on the 21st.

From a precipitation perspective—or rather, the lack thereof—most of Alabama saw little to no rainfall throughout the month of August, partly due to being on the dry side of Hurricane Debby earlier in the month. Unlike a typical August, when rainfall is unevenly distributed across the state, most stations reported drier-than-normal conditions. Over 100 stations recorded their driest August on record, many with long observation histories. Notable records from long-term observing stations (75+ years) include Greenville (1900-present), Montgomery Airport (1948-present), Gainesville Lock (1948-present), and Bay Minette (1913-present). While all these stations were exceptionally dry, the Florence 9.9 NW and Hillsboro 4.1 SSW stations stood out as the driest for the month, recording no measurable rainfall with no missing observations. It’s worth noting that one station in Oneonta also reported no measurable rainfall but nearby stations and radar-derived rainfall data suggest this may be inaccurate.

As such, we saw drought conditions ramp back up. By the end of August more than a quarter of the state was experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Areas in North and Northwest Alabama, never fully recovered in July, and have now been in D1 ( Moderate Drought) or worse since July 2nd. Overall, this summers’ dryness is taking its toll on the State’s famers. The corn harvest is projected to be 50% or less than last year, with many farmers seeing total losses. The August dryness is being to effect peanuts and soybeans with worries of below normal yields due to the lack of moisture. In particular, pastures are being stunted by both the lack of moisture and the rise of army worms. Many producers continued with supplemental feeding. 

While most of the state was dry, a few stations across the state received a decent amount of rainfall such as along the Gulf coast. One such station was the Fairhope 3 NE station which recorded 6.58 inches of rainfall, the wettest location in August. However, even this total was still 0.39 inches below the station’s normal of 6.97 inches.

The end of August signals the end of climatological summer (June, July, August). How hot was it this summer? Depends on your location within the state. Residents of Oneonta had a cooler than normal summer on average. While residents from Mobile had the 2nd hottest summer observed in their 77-year record! Statewide, this summer was the 15th warmest on record, with an average temperature of 80.5°F, which is +1.6°F warmer than normal. Precipitation-wise, this summer was the 26th driest on record, with 11.58 inches of precipitation, which is 2.49 inches drier than normal.

Monthly summaries are provided by Dr. Rob Junod, Lee Ellenburg and Dr. John Christy.