July, typically our hottest month of the year, was slightly above normal in
temperatures and slightly warmer than our very warm June was. The big
difference this month was that as much as June was below normal in rainfall,
July was above normal!
The average daily high during July was 87.9 which is 2.2 degrees below
normal. However, the average overnight low was 72.9, 5.4 degrees above
normal. This led to a monthly mean temperature of 80.4, 1.6 degrees above normal. While we were above normal we were quite a ways from being record hot. The hottest July on record is the hottest month this region has every experienced. July of 1954 had a monthly mean temperature of 87.0 degrees. July 2012 was right behind that with a mean temperature of 86.1.
The coldest July on record was in 1950, and again in 1967, with a chilly
monthly mean temperature of 73.8 degrees. Surprisingly, the highest
temperature during July was only 99 degrees on the 22nd. The lowest
temperature for the month was 64 degrees on the morning of July 2nd. It felt much hotter many days during July thanks to the high relative humidity which routinely pushed the heat index over 105. There were two temperature records set in July and one tied. The overnight lows of 78 on the 4th and 82 on the 21st set new record high low temperatures for those dates. The old record high low on the 4th was 77 in 1963, and for the 21st also 77 set in 1952 and 1964. The overnight low of 78 on the 10th tied the record high low for that date first reached in 1955 and then three other times since then.
The average rainfall for July is 4.07 inches. The area saw nearly double that with 7.09 inches recorded in Junction City and 8.03 inches at Milford Lake.
The rain was well spaced through the month with accommodating rains early in the month, again mid month and then again at the end of the month. These well spaced rains, after a very dry June, have left area crops and pastures in very good conditions as we head into August. Normal year to date precipitation from January through July is 20.72 inches. Year to date Milford Lake has received 22.81 inches and Junction City 21.97 inches. While the monthly rainfall was well above normal, it was well below being a record. The wettest July on record was NOT 1951 (3rd wettest with 12.43 inches of rain) or 1993 (5th wettest with 11.53 inches), but 1950 when 13.65 inches of rain flooded the area. The 2nd and 4th wettest July’s were 1948 – 12.99 inches and 1992 – 12.32 inches of rain.
With July, the hottest month of the year, now behind us we will normally start to see temperatures cooling off as we move through August. Average daily highs begin August around 91 degrees and by the end of the month they are down to 88 degrees. Overnight lows begin the month at 67 and end the month around 64. Rainfall shows a slight decrease from July with normal rainfall coming in just under 4 inches at 3.96 inches.