MUWIC Newsletter - August 2005

(Issued: August 8, 2005)

Millersville University Weather Information Center (MUWIC)

Eric J. Horst, Director

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LEAD STORY: “Tropical Moisture Fuels Frequent Showers”

While no tropical cyclone directly impacted the Lancaster area in July, the remnants of two systems did yield some much-needed rainfall. The dying remains of tropical storm Cindy and Hurricane Dennis brought tropical air masses northward producing two spells of oppressive humidity and scattered showers. In aggregate, shower and thunderstorm activity dropped five to seven inches of rain across the county.

The copious rainfall erased a three-inch rainfall deficit established in May and June. Just as lawns and gardens were beginning to suffer, the first round of storms arrived on July 5^th. As is often the case, a summer drought was averted thanks to an early start to Hurricane season. A record five named storms formed in the Atlantic basin in July.

July Rainfall

Millersville University - 5.04”

Lancaster Airport - 6.90”

New Holland - 6.80”

Ephrata - 7.76”

York - 4.35”

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EVENT OF THE MONTH

The remnants of topical storm Cindy brought heavy showers to the region on July 7^th and 8^th. Two to four inches of rain fell across the county with the heaviest rainfall occurring in the vicinity of Lititz and Ephrata.

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JULY CLIMATOLOGY (MU Weather Station)

Average High Temp: 86.9 F

Average Low Temp: 68.2 F

Average Monthly Temp: 77.5 F

(Departure from Normal: +2.85 F)

Precipitation: 5.04 inches

(Departure from Normal: +0.53)

Annual Precipitation: 21.78 inches

(Departure from Normal: -2.56)

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AUGUST NORMALS, RECORDS & FACTS

Normal high/low temperatures decrease from 86/63 on August 1st to 83/59 by month’s end. The record high for August is 107 degrees set on the 7th of 1918, while the record low is 35 F set on the 29th in 1982. Normal liquid precipitation for the month is 3.97 inches. The rainiest August on record (13.94 inches) occurred in 1933. The driest August was in 1957 when only 0.51 inches fell.

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AUGUST OUTLOOK

If you liked the hazy, humid, showery conditions of July, then you will enjoy August. I see no fundamental changes in the pattern at least through mid-month, as a Bermuda high pressure system dominates along the eastern seaboard. Consequently, warmer-than-normal temperatures and above normal precipitation will be the likely outcome of the month ahead.

I do see signs of cooler air gathering across northern and central Canada. A series of cold fronts will begin to press into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, however, the Bermuda high pressure system anchored along the east coast will resist these fronts for much of the month. Consequently, these cold fronts will tend to washout across the mid-Atlantic region, and bring only minor relief for a day or two at a time.

Meanwhile, we’ll need to keep an eye on the tropics as the above-average activity looks to continue. Tropical Storm Irene, now located about 900 miles southeast of Bermuda, may slowly move around the south flake of the high pressure position and eventually threaten the East coast. A couple more storms could form later this month, and the East Coast will be a possible target as long as the Bermuda high pressure system maintains its current position.