Page County saw 4th driest August in 55 years

Total rainfall 1.65 inches, above average temps

By Carl Quintrell, weather correspondent

STANLEY, Sept. 1 — This past August was the fourth driest in the past 55 years. Total rain for August was 1.65 inches, or 1.95 inches below the August average of 3.60 inches. Total rainfall year-to-date is at the 17.14 inch mark, or 10 inches below average.

The driest August dates back to 1976, with only 1.05 inches of rain recorded. The wettest August was 2020 with 11.36 inches of rain. February is the only month this year where the Page Valley has seen above average precipitation. To date, this has been the third driest of the past 55 years of records in Page County.

Driest August in Page County (1969-2023):

• 1.05 inches of rain in 1976;
• 1.58 inches in 2002;
• 1.61 inches in 2006;
• 1.65 inches in 2023;
• 1.75 inches in 2015.

Driest Years in Page County (1969-2023), average annual rainfall 40.24 inches:

• -13.6 inches below average, with total rainfall of 27.08 in 1988;
• -11.92 inches below average, with total rain of 28.32 in 1977;
• -10 inches below average, with total year-to-date rainfall of 17.14 in 2023;
• -9.94 inches below average, with total rain of 30.30 in 2001;
• -9.20 inches below average, with total rain of 31.04 in 1974.

Temperatures for August were slightly above average. The average afternoon high temperature for the month was 86.5 degrees, or 1.2 degrees above the average high of 85.3 degrees. High temperatures for August climbed into the 90s on 11 days, the 80s on 17 days, and in the 70s on three days during the month. The high for the month was 95 degrees on Aug. 25.

The warmest August on record was in 1988, where the average afternoon high was 89.4 degrees with 20 days reaching the 90-degree mark or higher. The coolest August was in 2013, where the average afternoon high was only 80.1 degrees, with no days reaching the 90–degree mark.

The average daily low temperature for the month was 64.1 degrees, or 0.8 degree above the average low of 63.3 degrees. Low temperatures for the month were down into the 50s on six days, the 60s on
22 days and only in the 70s on three days during the month. The low for the month was 52 degrees on Aug. 19.

The peak wind gust for the month was 30 mph on Aug. 10. No records were broken during August 2023.

Winter Weather Folklore states, “For every fog in August, there will be a snowfall in winter.” August 2023 left us with ONE foggy morning, does that mean we will see only ONE snowy day this winter? This weather folklore has only been correct four times in the past 55 years.

• Winter of 1984-1985: 13 August fog days and 13 snow days. Total snow 8.25 inches;
• Winter of 1987-1988: 7 August fog days and 7 snow days. Total snow 16.75 inches;
• Winter of 1991-1992: 2 August fog days and 2 snow days. Total snow 1.75 inches;
• Winter of 2022-2023: 4 August fog days and 4 snow days. Total snow 2.75 inches.

The times the lore was found to be true, we had well below normal snowfall for the winter season. Yearly average snowfall is 22.3 inches. The winter of 2009-2010 yielded 16 snow days with the season total of 61.4 inches. There was only ONE foggy August day that year.

Other statistics for the month include:

• 26 clear to partly cloudy days (22 avg.)
• Five cloudy to mostly cloudy days (nine avg.)
• 14 days with dew (24 avg.)
• Zero days with frost (zero avg.)
• One day with fog (five avg.)
• Two days with a thundershower (four avg.)

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