Robert J

Robert J. Renard, Meteorologist
Volunteer Observer
Nat'l Wea Serv Climate Station
Monterey, California 93940

SUMMARY of the AUGUST 2002 WEATHER ON THE MONTEREY PENINSULA

General: August 2002 continued the extensive string of below-normal temperature conditions, along with below-normal rainfall, number of fog-days in excess of normal and seasonal winds.

Temperature: In spite of a record-setting heat wave early month, the month of August 2002 netted out with a below-normal average temperature. The 60.5° F overall average is 0.5° F below the 50-year normal and counts as the 13^th (nearly) consecutive month with below-normal temperatures – the exception, February 2002. Said another way, 13 out of the last 14 months registered below-normal temperatures at the NWS Climate Station (NWSCS). The daytime readings were totally responsible: 67.8° F average maximum vs. 69.3° F normal. Night-time minimums averaged slightly above normal: 53.1° F vs. 52.8° F. Even though there are daily records for 54 years we are still setting/tieing daily temperature records. First the warm records:

Minimums:	Aug 9	59° F min. equals warm record set in 1997
Maximums:	Aug 8	90° F max equals warm record set in 1995
	Aug 9	89° F max exceeds warm record of 85° F set in 1970
	Aug 10	86° F max exceeds warm record of 82° F set in 1956

On the cold side:

Maximums:	Aug 3	58° F max ties record set in 1969
	Aug 19	58° F max ties record set in 2001
	Aug 21	59° F max is new record; was 61° F in 2000 and 1970
	Aug 22	60° F max ties record set in 1981
	Aug 23	60° F max ties record set in 1964

Nine daily temperature records were equaled or established in August 2002! A very singular August phenomenon!

High for the month, 90° F was observed on the 8^th and the month’s low of 50° F occurred on several days: 7, 25, 26, 27 August.

Another unusual August 2002 event: August 3 with only a 2° F spread maximum to minimum: 58-56° F, a foggy, drizzly and no-sun day! Normal daily temperature spread is 15° F in August. Compare to a 36° F spread on the April 8 heat-wave day: 90° F to 54° F. August 8 was only the fifth August day in 54 years with a maximum in the 90’s! 90’s are most common in September and October.

Precipitation: Only 0.05" on two early-month drizzle days in August 2002, compared to 0.10" normal. In addition, there were some six days with a trace (less than 0.01"). The 2002-03 rain-year total is now up to 0.07" vice 0.17" normal. Normal rainfall gradually climbs, starting in September, when 0.28" is the expectation for the month.

Wind: High gust for the month was 31 mph at the NWSCS on the 5^th and gusting was fairly insignificant the remainder of the month. See the Comparative Weather Data section. Average winds were seasonal overall.

Fog: The late spring/summer period is maintaining a profile of a bit-more-than-normal fog each month. In August there were 23 fog days vs. 21 by climate expectation. Late evening through the first few daylight hours were key times for fog, as expected.

90-Day Average Temperature and Precipitation Outlook for the Central Coast: The National Weather Service 90-day outlook for September through November indicates near normal rainfall for the period. Temperatures are expected to average near normal close to the Central Coast, but remain above normal inland. Above to well-above normal temperatures are expected inland over the western intermountain/desert/valley areas, especially southeast of the Central Coast, where the anomaly is greatest and most persistent in the period.

Rainfall (inches)		Normal Max/Min Temps (^oF)
September	0.28	September	71.8	52.9
October	0.82	October	70.5	51.0
November	2.35	November	65.3	47.1

Comparative Weather Data for Stations on/near the Monterey Peninsula & Salinas

August 2002

Following are comparative figures from ten local observation sites:

National Weather Service Climate Station (NWSCS), (elevation 385') located in the western hilly section of Monterey;
National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWSFO) site (elevation 122'), located in the flat area of eastern Monterey, on the NPS Annex grounds adjacent to Airport;
Naval Postgraduate School Campus (NPS) site, Monterey; (elevation 45')
Ft. Ord (NPS) site (elevation 167') located just north of the Marina Municipal Airport (formerly Fritzschie Army Airfield). This is the site of the Naval Postgraduate School's wind profilers managed by Department of Meteorology;
Marina site, SE end of Marina located about 2-1/2 miles ESE of Monterey Bay (elevation 80');
Carmel Valley site near Carmel Village, vicinity of Ford Rd. and Lilac Lane (elevation 475’) new this month;
Salinas site, vicinity of W. Blanco Rd. within 1/2 mile of S. Main St.;
Carmel site, 1/10 mile from Highway 1 and Rio Road;
Seaside site, NE end of Seaside, about 1 1/2 mi. east of Fremont St., near the Military Ave. boundary of Ft. Ord Village (elevation: 250').
Pacific Grove, vicinity of David and Forrest Avenues (elevation: 390').

Location	Temperature (^oF)				Precipitation (inches)			Wind (mph)
	Avg. Max.	Highest	Avg. Min.	Lowest	This Month	(01Jul-31 Aug) rain year	Norm	Max Gust /date(s)	Ave
NWSCS	67.8	90	53.1	50	0.05 ^a	0.07	0.17 ^@	31 (5^th)	----
NWSFO	69.4	91	54.3	50	0.01 ^b	0.01	----	23 (29^th)	5.7*
NPS	69.5	88	56.7	52	0.00 ^c	trace	0.10 ^#	23 (29^th)	3.1^**
Ft. Ord (NPS)	65.9	85	52.5	47	0.03^b	0.03	----	24(28^th)	8.2^***
Marina	68.0	85	53.8	48	0.06 ^d	0.06	0.15 ^&	----	----
Carmel Valley	80.0	99	49.0	40	0.00^a	0.00	----	----	----
Salinas	68.6	93	55.9	49	0.03	0.03	0.02 ⁺	----	----
Carmel	65.7	81	53.1	47	0.05 ^b	0.09	----	----	----
Seaside	69.5	85	54.4	48	0.00 ^b	0.00	----	----	----
Pacific Grove	65.3	85	52.3	50	0.15^d	0.24	----	----	----

FOOTNOTES:

Observations for precipitation: a = 5 or 6 PM PST, b = midnight PST, c = 4 PM local, d = 7 or 8 AM local
(NOTE: for d: 24-h rainfall measured 8 AM, first day of the month counts for previous month)
@ = 51-year average, # = 45-year average, + = 17-year average, & = 19-year average.

* = Winds NWSFO from Mry Pen Airport (24-h period, midnight to midnight PST from automated observations on the airfield).
** = Winds at NPS, based on 1-min averages over 24-h period, 4 pm to 4 pm PST
*** = Winds at Ft. Ord, based on 2-min averages over 24-h period, midnight to midnight PST