August 2015 Summary – Third Warmest and Second Sunniest on Record

Blue Hill Observatory
August 2015 Summary:

The month was notable for being very warm and mostly dry with much more sun than average. The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 72.4 deg F was 4.3 degrees warmer than the 120-year average for August, and three degrees warmer than the 1981-2010 30-year average.  This makes the month the third warmest August on record (see list below). The maximum temperature for the month was 92F on the 18th, and the coolest temperature was 58F on the 8th, 10th and 28th.  Despite the consistent warmth, there were only three days that reached 90 degrees or higher in August, and there are only five 90-degree days so far in 2015.  The month was drier than average with a precipitation total of 2.90 inches, which was a little over an inch less than the 120-year average and the 1981-2010 mean. Much of  the monthly precipitation, 1.24 inches, fell in less than 24 hours during a thunderstorm on the 15th. There were four thunderstorm days during the month, which is about average for August. The mean wind speed was 10.0 mph, which tied for the third lowest on record for August, and the prevailing direction was from the west-northwest. A peak gust of 45 mph from the west was observed on the 4th due to severe thunderstorms in the area. August was the second sunniest on record with 73 percent of the possible bright sunshine, or 303.2 hours, being observed, which is fifteen percent above the long-term mean.

BHO Warmest Augusts, deg F (1885-2015)

1) 72.6 in 2012
2) 72.5 in 1988
3) 72.4 in 2015
4) 72.3 in 2005
5) 72.1 in 2002

BHO Warmest August Average Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)

1) 83.2 in 2005
2) 83.1 in 1949
3) 82.6 in 2015
4) 82.5 in 1988
82.5 in 2002
82.5 in 2012

BHO Warmest August Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)

1) 64.9 in 2001
2) 64.6 in 2012
3) 64.4 in 2005
64.4 in 2015
5) 64.3 in 2003

BHO Slowest August Wind Speed, mph (1885-2015)

1) 9.5 in 1996
9.5 in 2008
3) 10.0 in 1899
10.0 in 2009
10.0 in 2012
10.0 in 2015

BHO Sunniest Augusts, hours (1886-2015)

1) 303.7 in 1971  (74%)
2) 303.2 in 2015 (73%)
3) 303.0 in 1969  (73%)
4) 298.1 in 1932  (72%)
5) 296.7 in 1970  (72%)