LIMA, OH (WLIO) - With only three 90-degree days so far this summer, our area is experiencing a cooler summer compared to last year. Will the trend continue into August? Meteorologist Nathan Kitchens takes a look.
While intense heat has been the story for many parts of the country, our area has escaped the brunt of the scorching temperatures so far this summer. Lima is averaging 1° below normal since June 1st, and rainfall is coming in below normal for much of the area.
Rain totals have varied greatly from one location to the next over the past month. Areas around Lima and especially western allen county are running much drier than normal. Meanwhile, a pocket over Uniopolis received above-normal rain in July, along with areas west toward the Indiana border. Overall, much of our area is experiencing a deficit since June 1st. Timely showers along with the cooler temperatures have been a saving grace to keep area crops in check.
What can we expect in August? First off, let's look at what we normally see during the month. Our average high starts off at 83° on the 1st, but drops to 80° by the 31st. Daylight decreases by one hour and 11 minutes throughout the month. The forecast over the next few weeks is favoring near-normal temperatures for west central Ohio. There are signals that the heat may ramp up a bit for the later portions of the month.
Rainfall is expected to be near normal, with slightly wetter conditions favored for southern Ohio. Overall, the story is that nothing "extreme" is expected as we move firmly into the dog days of summer.
