NOTE – Rainfall and temperature information is based on data kept at Milford Lake by the Corps of Engineers.  For more information contact Chuck Otte, 238-4161.

September 2016 Weather Summary

Once again, September brought us a month with above normal temperatures
and above normal, slightly, precipitation. This makes the third month in a row
of above normal rainfall and every month except one, in 2016, have had
above normal temperatures. As has been the case most of the year, it is the
overnight lows that are pushing the average temperatures above normal.

The average daily high during September was 81.0 degrees, 0.8 degrees
above normal. The average overnight low was 63.2, 7.2 degrees above
normal. This gave us a monthly mean temperature of 72.1, 4.0 degrees
above normal. The highest temperature for the month was 91 on the 19th
and 20th. The coolest temperature for the month was 48 the morning of the
25th. While it was a warm month it wasn´t close to being record setting. The
hottest September on record was in 1954 with a monthly mean temperature
of 78.1. The coldest September was in 1974 when we had a chilly monthly
mean temperature of 61.1. There was one temperature record set during
September and two records tied. The overnight low of 72 on the 23rd set a
new record high low temperature. The old record was 68 set in 1958. The
overnight lows of 76 on the 5th and 75 on the 20th tied the record high lows
for those dates. The old records were set in 1990 and 1948 respectively.

Rains in mid month and later in the month provided needed and timely
precipitation. Average September rainfall is 3.28 inches. For the month,
Milford Lake received 3.49 inches and Junction City received 3.43 inches
putting us slightly over normal for the month. Year to date Milford Lake has
received 33.37 inches of precipitation and Junction City 33.69 inches. Normal
through the end of September is 27.96 inches. In fact, long term average
annual rainfall is 33.15 inches so we are already above normal for the entire
year! The wettest September was in 1967 when 13.28 inches flooded the
region. The driest September was 1947 when all we could muster in the rain
gauges was 0.24 inches!

As the hours of daylight continues to dwindle, the temperatures in October
follow suit. Average daily highs in October start the month at 76 and by
Halloween are down to 63. Overnight lows drop from 50 on the 1st to 40 on
the 31st. Rainfall continues to decrease as we move towards our driest time
of the year. Average precipitation for October is 2.62 inches. Most of that is
rain as long term average October snowfall is only about one tenth of an
inch. October often brings us our first killing frost. Long term average first
freeze is October 19th with most years seeing the average first frost
occurring within 12 days of that date. In recent years we´ve seen a trend of
pushing that first frost later in the fall. Last year the first frost wasn´t until
November 6th and it has been as late as November 10th.