August 2020 Climate Summary and Highlights

August 2020 Climate Summary and Highlights

Summary

Overall, August 2020 was drier and cooler than normal across the region. Below are August climate highlights for Wichita, Salina,
and Chanute.

Wichita had an average monthly temperature of 78.6 degrees, which was 1.4 degrees cooler than normal. It tied for the 52nd coolest August since official records began in 1888, and it was the coolest since 2017. The city hit 100 degrees only one day during the month, which is below the normal of about 4 to 5 days. Precipitation-wise, only 1.05 inches was measured at Eisenhower National Airport, which was 2.66 inches drier than normal. It was the 20th driest august on record, and the driest since 2000.

Salina had an average monthly temperature of 77.5 degrees, which was 2.1 degrees cooler than normal. It tied for the 36th coolest
August since official records began in 1900, and it was the coolest since 2019. The city hit 100 degrees only one day during the month, which is below the normal of about 5 days. Precipitation-wise, only 0.68 inches was measured at the airport, which was 3.27 inches drier than normal. It was the 13th driest August on record, and the driest since 2007.

Chanute had an average monthly temperature of 78.5 degrees, which was 0.4 degrees cooler than normal. It tied for the 49th coolest August since official records began in 1896, and it was the coolest since 2018. The city hit 100 degrees one day during the
month, which is below the normal of about 2 days. Precipitation-wise, only 1.76 inches was measured at the airport, which was
1.93 inches drier than normal. It was the 35th driest August on record, and the driest since 2014.

Miscellaneous Climate Information

Mean Jet Stream Location	500mb Height Anomaly

For August, the jet stream was generally located across the northern U.S., but it did dip south into the Plains some.	August featured upper level ridging over the western U.S. and upper level troughing over the Southeastern U.S. The upper level trough likely helped keep temperatures a bit cooler over eastern Kansas.

Moisture Anomaly	August Severe Thunderstorm Warnings

Moisture available for precipitation was noticeably lower than normal across much of the Plains, which likely factored into the drier conditions for much of Kansas.	The above map shows the number of Severe Thunderstorm Warnings issued for each county in Kansas. The most active area was western Kansas, while eastern Kansas was fairly quiet.

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Monthly Average Temperature	Average Temperature Departure from Normal

August 2020 average temperatures across Kansas (the average of each daily high and low temperature).	August 2020 average temperature departure from normal across Kansas. Monthly temperatures were below normal across portions of central, southern, and eastern Kansas, with mostly above normal temperatures across west and northwest Kansas.

Monthly Precipitation	Precipitation Departure from Normal

August 2020 precipitation across Kansas.	August 2020 precipitation departure from normal across Kansas. With the exception of portions of west-central Kansas, much of the state saw below normal precipitation.

Wichita's Top-10 Driest Augusts Since 1950	Salina's Top-15 Driest Augusts Since 1900

Wichita's 1.05 inches of rainfall in August was 2.66 inches below normal, and the driest August since 2000.	Salina's 0.68 inches of rainfall in August was 3.27 inches below normal, and the driest August since 2007.