July continued the trend that we have been seeing every month in 2017 with monthly average temperatures running above normal. More concerning than that is the fact that July precipitation was only about 40% of normal for the month.
The average daily high for July was 90 degrees which is very close to the 90.1 long term average daily high for the month. But once again the average overnight low was 73.0, 5.5 degrees above normal. This resulted in a monthly mean temperature of 81.5, 2.7 degrees above normal. The highest temperature for the month was 102 degrees on the 21st and 22nd. The lowest temperature for the month was the overnight low of 63 on the 31st. There were two temperature records set in July. The low of 80 on the 11th set a new record high overnight low temperature. The old record was 79 set in 1954. The high of 72 on the 31st set a new record low high temperature. The old record was 73 set in 1998. While we were warmer than normal, we weren´t nearly as hot as the record warmest July. In 1954 the monthly mean temperature was 87 degrees. More recently, in 2012, we had a monthly mean temperature of 86.1, the second warmest July on record. The coldest July on record was set in 1950 and reached again in 1967 when the monthly mean temperature was a very comfortable 73.8.
Scattered rainfall events, mainly in the second half of the month, helped to cool temperatures down but fell significantly short of achieving average precipitation. Normal July rainfall is 4.07 inches. Milford Lake received 1.52 inches for July and Junction City 1.68 inches. Year to date we are running very close to normal. Normal through July is 20.72 inches of precipitation. Milford Lake has received 23.35 inches so far in 2017 and Junction City 20.81 inches. The wettest July on record was also the coldest July on record, 1950. In July of 1950 we received 13.65 inches of rain. The driest July was in 1983 when one rainfall event the entire month provided a mere 0.04 inches of rain.
Contrary to popular opinion, August is not our hottest month, that is July. We expect August to start cooling down as the days start to become shorter. Average daily highs start the month at 91 and drop to 88 by the end of August. Overnight lows fall from 67 degrees to 64 degrees. Normal rainfall is slightly less in August, as we start to move out of those spring and summer weather patterns. Long term average rainfall for August is 3.96 inches.
-Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent