The month of July started off wet with frequent bouts of rain moving through Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Temperatures, as a result, were cool compared to average for July. The pattern that settled in for the second half of the month of July was the complete opposite of the wet and cool beginning. Temperatures warmed up and conditions dried out with only a few days receiving a "trace" of rainfall in Rockford. This dry and warm pattern has continued into August with no measurable rain being recorded thus far this month.
This dry and warm pattern can be expected to continue as we progress through the first part of August, but according to the Weather Prediction Center, the overall temperature pattern for August may be slightly below average. The core of the cooler-than-average temperatures is expected to remain off to the west of the region, however.
Why the cooler temperatures for the month of August? Well, we are currently in an El Nino event, and, according to Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel, that means August temperatures are typically below average.
Regarding the forecast for precipitation, the Weather Prediction Center thinks we will see roughly average rainfall amounts through the month of August.
As you can see, Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois are not located within the green nor the orange shade. That means we are expected to see average rainfall through the month. According to Angel, there is a relationship between temperatures in July and temperatures in August, but there is no such relationship between precipitation patterns in July and precipitation patterns in August. In addition, he mentions how there is really no relationship between El Nino and precipitation in August. This is why the forecast is calling for an average month in the rainfall department.
No comments:
Post a Comment