August 2024 – Dry with Near Normal Temperature

August Temperatures

Preliminary data indicates that the statewide average temperature in August was 75.1°F, which is 0.4^°F below the 1991-2020 mean value of 75.5^°F (Figure 1).  August’s below normal temperature broke the string of eight months with warmer than normal temperatures across Delaware. 

August Precipitation

Delaware’s statewide precipitation for August 2024 averaged 3.15 inches, 1.54 inches below the 1991-2020 mean of 4.69 inches (Figure 2).  August’s precipitation, although below normal, was only the 45^th driest since observations began 130 years ago. 

Statewide Spatial Anomalies

Data from the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) show that temperature departures were mixed across the state (Figure 3) with most locations seeing positive or negative anomalies of less than 1^°F during the month.  Precipitation anomalies varied greatly north-to-south across the state, with negative anomalies covering most of Kent and Sussex counties, and positive anomalies found across northern sections of New Castle County (Figure 4).

National Anomalies

Temperatures were above normal across a majority of the country (Figure 5). Only the central U.S., the Ohio Valley and the coastal portions of the Carolinas saw near or below normal temperatures.  Precipitation anomalies were generally positive along the east coast of the United States (Figure 6), while the Ohio and Mississippi valleys and Texas saw generally dry conditions.  The 500 hPa height pattern for August showed no strong jet stream anomalies across the United States (Figure 7).

Global Anomalies

August 2024 ranked as the warmest August on record for the globe since 1850.  Global temperatures were 1.27^°C (2.28^°F) above the 1901-2000 mean.  This was the 15^th month in a row with record high global temperatures.  Particular warmth was found across Antarctica (Figure 8).

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