August Climate Review and September Preview

August of 2018 started out where July ended, with monsoonal moisture bringing widespread showers and storms to much of southeastern Colorado through the middle of the month, before drier air started to work into the region through the later half of the month. Similar to the previous month of July, much of Western and South Central Colorado missed out on much of this widespread precipitation throughout the month of August. Some of the widespread precipitation was also destructive, with heavy rainfall causing several flash flooding events throughout the month, especially across the newer burn areas of Spring, Hayden Pass and Junkins wildfires. On August 6th, a very destructive and deadly storm brought baseball to softball sized hail to southwestern through southeastern portions of Colorado Springs. This storm was responsible for the deaths of several animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, along with several people taken to local hospitals for hail related injuries, and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to cars, homes and businesses across southern portions of Colorado Springs. For the month of August as a whole, at and above seasonal temperatures and generally below normal precipitation was experienced across western portions of the area, with at to well below normal temperatures and at to slightly below normal precipitation recorded across Eastern Colorado, save well above normal precipitation recorded across the southern portions of the Southeast Plains.

The following graphics depict monthly temperature and precipitation departures from normal across the state for the past month of August.

The preliminary average temperature in Alamosa for the past month of August was 63.1 degrees, which is 0.4 degrees above normal. Alamosa recorded 0.64 inches of precipitation through the month of August, which is 0.63 inches below normal.

The preliminary average temperature in Colorado Springs for the past month of August was 69.1 degrees, which is 0.4 degrees above normal. Colorado Springs recorded 3.25 inches of precipitation through out the month of August, which is 0.09 inches below normal.

The preliminary average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of August was 74.0 degrees, which 0.6 degrees above normal. Pueblo recorded 1.79 inches of precipitation through the month of August, which is 0.53 inches below normal.

Looking ahead into September, in Alamosa, the average high temperature and low temperature of 77 degrees and 43 degrees on September 1st, cool to 68 degrees and 31 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of September in Alamosa is 55.0 degrees. Alamosa averages 0.91 inches of precipitation through out the month of September. The mean date for the first freeze of the season in Alamosa is September 11th.

In Colorado Springs, the average high temperature and low temperature of 79 degrees and 53 degrees on September 1st, cool to 69 degrees and 41 degrees by the end of the month.The average temperature for the month of September in Colorado Springs is 60.9 degrees. Colorado Springs averages 1.19 inches of precipitation through out the month of September.

In Pueblo, the average high temperature and low temperature of 87 degrees and 54 degrees on September 1st, cool to 76 degrees and 41 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of September in Pueblo is 64.7 degrees. Pueblo averages 0.77 inches of precipitation through out the month of September.

Below is the Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) temperature and precipitation outlook for the month of September, which gives better chances of above normal temperatures and above normal precipitation across South Central and Southeast Colorado. .