It was a great August for watersports anything that involved cooling off during the blazing temperatures last month.

It was a great August for watersports anything that involved cooling off during the blazing temperatures last month.

August weather second driest on record for Kootenays

Mother Nature made it up to Nelson area sun worshipers in August.

Mother Nature made it up to sun worshipers in August.

The Southeast Fire Centre released its monthly weather statistics earlier this week and this August was the second driest on record.

“It was a drastic change from the record breaking wet conditions during the previous two months,” weatherman Ron Lakeman stated in his monthly report. “High pressure dominated for a very warm and dry August.”

There were only two days when the weather office recorded rain. A mere 2 mm combined fell on those days. The only year on record with less rainfall was in 1967 when only a trace was measured. The scarce precipitation was five per cent of normal.

Though no records were broken in terms of temperatures, it was a scorching month. The average daily high temperature was 2.7 degrees above average. The hottest day of the month was recorded on August 19 when the mercury touched the 36.8 C mark. The hottest day on record for August was also back in 1967 when it hit 40 C.

The lowest temperature of the month was recorded on August 25 when it dipped to 4 C.

Last August was also hot and dry with only 3.2 mm or rain falling in 2011.

 

Nelson Star