Most folks probably realize that we have had an incredibly dry month of August...just look at most of the lawns around the Midstate!  I say this as we are experiencing the wimpy leftovers of Fay.  That's exactly what they are...leftovers.  The good moisture stayed to our south.  Most people have not been complaining about the weather this month.  I mean, after all, it has been cool for this time of year, the humidity has been down, and the sun has been shining.  However, we really are experiencing quite a dry spell.  Let's talk numbers.

Normally up to this point in August we should have received 2.78 inches of precipitation.  This year, we have gotten a measly 0.31 inches.  This means that we are 2.47 inches below normal for the month.  That is the official number.  I realize that some backyards have received more and others less, but for record-keeping purposes we go by Harrisburg International Airport.  Speaking of records...let's look at the five driest Augusts that we have ever had.

1995  0.53 inches

1923  0.73 inches

1909  0.81 inches

1957  0.93 inches

1977  0.93 inches

Does something stand out to you?  I know it did to us here in the StormTrak Center.  We are on track to have our driest August on record!  The only real rain threat we have before the end of the month comes today and tomorrow with Fay.  She isn't doing much to help out the numbers either.  We have only received 0.05 inches here at abc27 since midnight yesterday and probably won't add too much to that total.  It would appear to me that 2008 will go down as the driest August for the Midstate of all time.  That's pretty impressive...and I don't mean in a good way.  We could really use a good soaking rain to help out the farmers and the lawns.  Next week looks bone dry and hot...a bit of summer returns for one last fling before fall arrives late next month.  We will keep our fingers crossed.  There are two tropical systems brewing right now.  Perhaps remnants from either one will bring some needed rainfall to Pennsylvania within the next couple weeks.  Hopefully, they will be more potent than Fay.  I will have another Tropical update tomorrow here on the bog.  Until then, have a great Thursday!