August 2026 – Warm and Wet Conditions Continue Across Delaware

August Temperatures

Preliminary data indicates that the statewide average temperature in August was 77.9^o F, which was 2.4^o F above the 1991-2020 average value of 75.5^o F (Figure 1).  August 2026 was tied with August 2005 as the 6^th warmest August since observations began in 1895.  At the Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown Airports (Figure 2a, 2b, 2c), the month began with very warm temperatures featuring highs 90^o F or above at each station on the 6^th through the 10^th.  A second heatwave impacted the state from the 18^th through the 20^th as all three stations reached daily high temperatures between the upper 80s and low 90s.    

August Precipitation

Delaware’s statewide precipitation for August 2026 averaged 6.57 inches, 1.88 inches above the 1991-2020 average of 4.69 inches (Figure 3).  August 2026 was tied with August 1992 as the 23^rd wettest August since observations began in 1895. 

Statewide Spatial Anomalies

Data from the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) show that temperatures varied depending upon location across the State, with southern Kent and Sussex Counties seeing the largest positive temperature anomalies (Figure 4).  Precipitation across the State was highly variable due to thunderstorm rainfall (Figure 5).  Many stations saw positive precipitation anomalies, some of greater than 2 inches during the month, while other stations recorded less than normal precipitation for August. 

National Anomalies

Temperatures were near or above normal across all of the continental United States except for a single climate division in North Dakota (Figure 6).  The largest positive temperature anomalies were found across portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.  Precipitation varied greatly across the country due to the convective nature of summer season rainfall (Figure 7).  Eastern portions of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas saw very dry conditions, while the Mid-Atlantic and the upper Midwest saw much above normal precipitation.   

Global Anomalies

August 2026 was the warmest August on record for the globe since 1850.  Global temperatures were 2.38^o F above the 1901-2000 mean.  Of particular note this month were the very warm temperatures across most of North America, Western Europe, the central equatorial Pacific, and much of Africa (Figure 8).

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