Fire Weather Concerns in the Intermountain West into the Plains

Anomalously warm, dry and breezy conditions will bring elevated to critical fire weather conditions across portions of the Intermountain West into the Plains though early this week. Another elevated risk is possible across the central Appalachians. A rapid warm-up is in the forecast beginning Monday across the central and eastern U.S.. Read More >

August 2011: Too Hot, Again?
Memories of 2009 and 1998 as Monthly Records Fall as Hot Summer Closes

Overview
August returned the Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Plains, and Brush Country to the hot, dusty weather that was common through May and much of June. Several records were broken across Deep South Texas, some of them dating back just a few years this millenium and others which lasted for more than 80 years. Summer was hot, as well, though not record breaking, as July’s readings landing right around average ensured that records set in 1998 and 2009 would not be exceeded. Rainfall for the summer was also low, and in some cases may have fallen below prior records. Water year rainfall information will be available here during the first week of September, as the intense drought of late 2010 and 2011 continues. The following tables provide a preliminary summary of August 2011, and Summer 2011, temperatures and rankings as another scorching meteorological summer (June through August) comes to a close.

**Table 1: Preliminary Average Temperatures, August 2011**
Station	August 2011	Rank	Pvs/Standing Record	Year
Brownsville (since 1878)	87.36	1	87.13	2010
Port Mansfield (since 1958)	86.1	1	86.1 (tie)	2005
Falcon Dam (since 1962)	91.2	1	90.5	1997
La Joya/Mission (since 1911)	90.5	1	89.0	1940
San Manuel (since 2000)	88.7	1	87.5	2002
McAllen/Miller Arpt. (since 1961)	90.18	2	91.35	2009
Harlingen/Coop (since 1911)	87.7	2	88.1	1958
Weslaco (since 1914)	88.0	2	88.1	2001
Raymondville (since 1913)	87.5	3	88.2	1920
McCook (since 1941)	88.5	3	89.4	1998
Rio Grande City (since 1897)	89.5	6(tie)	92.1	2001
Port Isabel (since 1928)	85.4	10	87.5	1928

**Table 1: Preliminary Average Temperatures, Summer (June to August) 2011**
Station	Summer 2011	Rank	Pvs/Standing Record	Year
San Manuel (since 2000)	87.1	1	86.6	2009
Falcon Dam (since 1962)	89.4	2	91.2	1998
La Joya/Mission (since 1911)	88.6	3	90.1	1998
Port Mansfield (since 1958)	84.6	3	85.4	2009
McAllen/Miller Arpt. (since 1961)	87.9	3	90.9	2009
*Hebbronville (since 1905)**	86.9	4	88.8	2009
*Falfurrias (since 1907)**	87.9	5	89.4	1998
Brownsville (since 1878)	85.8	7 (tie 6)	87.9	1998
Harlingen/Coop (since 1911)	86.1	9 (tie 5)	86.9	1998
Port Isabel (since 1928)	84.6	10 (tie 7)	86.0	1998
Mc Cook (since 1941)	86.5	12 (tie 9)	90.0	1998
Raymondville (since 1913)	85.5	14 (tie 13)	88.1	1998
Rio Grande City (since 1897)	88.0	16 (tie 12)	91.6	1998

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Fire Weather Concerns in the Intermountain West into the Plains

August 2011: Memories of 2009, another very hot and dry month across the Rio Grande Valley