Even though Summer is not officially over until 1044 AM CDT
Monday, September 22nd, June through August 2008 will go
down as one of the warmer June to August periods of record
for Central and South Central Texas. Warm summers in the past,
like 2008, came in wake of very dry fall to spring periods,
followed by a stagnant subtropical high pattern that maintained
dryness into part of the summer. In 2008, evidence of hot days
to come revealed itself early in the year with unseasonably warm
days in early and late February of 2008 and again in March of 2008.
After a period of severe weather from May 12th to 15th, dry and
very warm conditions set in during late May and continued through
June, from the effects of a stagnant subtropical high. The
stagnant summer subtropical high that persisted through June,
began to slowly weaken in July and August, as more rain and
showers came.
If the dryness had continued through July and August,
then the summer could have been much warmer. The rains
in July and August moderated the temperatures more at
Del Rio and San Antonio than at Austin, where July and
August rains were less. July and August of 2008 was the
wettest months at San Antonio since August 2007, and
August 2008 was the wettest month at Del Rio since August 1998.
At the Austin City Climate location, Austin Mabry, June through August
this year tied with June to August of 1998 for the warmest June through
August period since 1854. The Austin City Climate Site started as
a cooperative weather site in the mid to late 1800s and later
transferred to the National Weather Service Office in downtown
Austin in October of 1926. The records were later transferred
to Austin Robert Mueller Airport in August of 1942, when
the National Weather Service moved to the airport, northeast
of downtown. In 1999 the records were transferred to
Austin Camp Mabry. From June to August 2008, the average
temperature at Austin Camp Mabry was 86.7 degrees.
This tied with June to August 1998 for the
warmest June through August period in the past
at the Austin City Climate Site.
The 30 year 1971 to 2000 June to August average is 83.2.
The list below shows how this compares to the warmest June through
August periods in the past.
Austin Mabry Warmest June to August Average Temperature 1854 to 2008
1. 86.7 2008
2. 86.7 1998
3. 86.2 1925 and 1980
4. 86.1 1923
5. 85.8 1956 and 2006
6. 85.7 1886, 1918, and 1954
Another significant record for the Austin City Climate Site is the
number of 100 degree days at Austin Mabry this summer. Through
August 31st, Austin Mabry has had forty nine 100 degree days this
year. This is the 3rd most 100 degree days in any given year,
after sixty six 100 degree days in 1923, and sixty nine 100 degree
days in 1925.
At Austin Bergstrom International Airport the average
temperature from June through August this year tied with
June through August 1944 for the 16th warmest June to August
at Austin Bergstrom International Airport from 1943 to 2008.
The average June to August of 2008 temperature was 84.5 degrees,
compared to the 30 year 1971 to 2000 average of 83.5 degrees.
The warmest June to August at Austin Bergstrom was in 1954,
when the average was 87.2 degrees.
Austin Bergstrom International Airport Warmest June to August
Average Temperature 1943 to 2008
1. 87.2 1954
2. 87.0 1956
3. 86.9 1953
4. 86.7 1951
5. 86.4 1958
...
16. 84.5 1944 and 2008
At San Antonio June through August this year was the 8th warmest
June through August period since 1885, with the average of 85.1
degrees. The 30 year 1971 to 2000 average at San Antonio
is 83.3 degrees.
The list below shows how this compares to the warmest June through
August periods in the past.
San Antonio Warmest June to August Average Temperature 1885 to 2008
1. 86.2 1980 and 1994
2. 86.0 1998
3. 85.9 2006
4. 85.6 1962
5. 85.4 1990
6. 85.3 1954, 1989 and 1996
7. 85.2 1951 and 1953
8. 85.1 2008
9. 85.0 1948, 1956, 1964, and 1993
At Del Rio, more shower activity from late June through August
moderated the average June to August temperature to 85.1 degrees.
This is still above the latest 30 year average of 84.4,
and is a tie for the 23rd warmest June to August of record at
Del Rio from 1906 to 2008.
The list below shows how this compares to the warmest June through
August periods in the past.
Del Rio Warmest June to August Average Temperature 1906 to 2008
1. 88.7 1998
2. 88.5 1953
3. 88.4 2001
4. 87.8 1951
5. 87.6 1996
...
23. 85.1 1948, 1958, 1967, 1997, and 2008
August of 2008 was the 2nd wettest August for Del Rio, with
11.32 inches of rain, after 20.93 inches in August 1998.
June to August of 2008 was the 4th wettest June to August at
Del Rio, with 15.04 inches of rain. The wettest June to August
periods are listed below.
Del Rio Wettest June to August 1906 to 2008
1. 22.28 June to August 1998
2. 16.58 June to August 1935
3. 15.32 June to August 1906
4. 15.04 June to August 2008