August 2020 Weather Recap: A Continuation of Summer's Above Average Temperatures
Like June and July, August was warmer than average, but not to the degree of the two preceding summer months. It was 1.7 degrees above average and the 23rd hottest August on record. This followed June, which was 16th hottest (2.3 degrees above average), and July, which was 7th hottest (+3.5 degrees). There were no scorching heat waves, but the number of days with lows in the 70s was above average. Tropical storm Isaias, which struck on the 4th, was August's weather highlight, followed by a thunderstorm on the 12th that was the month's biggest rain maker. Overall, the month's 5.03" of rain was a touch above average.
There were four days in the 90s and six days with highs of 88° or 89°. Hottest reading of the month was 92°. The two days with the warmest lows (78° on Aug 2 and 77° on Aug 11) failed to have highs of 90+. There were no heat waves and none of the days in the 90s were back to back.
Tropical storm Isaias was largely a wind event, with well under an inch of rain measured. A gust of close to 50 mph was clocked in Central Park while the area's major airports all had gusts around 70 mph. By comparison, a severe evening thunderstorm eight days after the tropical storm produced 1.76", more than three times the amount from Isaias (0.55").
This was the seventh August in a row with no lows in the 50s (coolest reading was 62°). There were 19 days with lows in the 70s, which was well above average (13). Only six Augusts have had more; five others also had 19. However, the number of days with lows of 75°+ was just slightly more than average, ranking 29th (and tied with six other years). The fourth longest streak of days with lows of 70+, 20 days, ended on 8/7 (just two shy of the longest streak).
Finally, the summer of 2020 was the fourth hottest on record (tied with 1983). However, it was tied for fourth warmest average low, but 18th hottest average high. Although rainfall was slightly above average, it was enough to make 2020 the second wettest of the ten hottest Augusts (just 0.11" behind 1983).
Here are previous August recaps:
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