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AUSTIN (KXAN) — This summer has been a scorcher, but despite the hot summer temperatures, we’ve only just reached the hottest time of year.
From July 31 to August 14, our normal high reaches 99º, the hottest it gets all year. During that same period, our normal low temperature is 76º, the warmest lows of the year.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s look ahead to cooler temperatures.
Relief is coming (it has to)
Our days are already gradually getting shorter, reducing the length of time we can heat up. Since the longest day of the year on June 21 (14 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second of daylight), we’ve already lost 30 minutes of daylight. Shorter days gradually give way to cooler temperatures.
The sun’s altitude has been lowering in the sky since that first day of summer. On June 21 the sun was 83º above the horizon at noon.
Heading into the start of August the sun’s peak altitude during the day is 78º above the horizon, a full 5 degrees lower than at it’s peak. By the end of August, the sun’s height in the sky drops to 68º above the horizon. The lower angle of the sun means less direct rays, which helps temperatures gradually drop.
Cooler days to look forward to
August is usually wetter too
July is our second driest month of the year behind February. August is usually a wetter month, especially if we can get the tropics involved. We average a little less than 3″ of rain in August, July gets less than 2″ in a normal year.
Take the heat seriously and minimize your use of water while it’s in short supply, but relief is likely weeks away — we can make it!
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