By Jim Noel
After a cooler start to September it was expected to be warmer than average and that has happened and will last the rest of the month. Highs will generally be in the 70s and 80s north half and in the upper 70s to near 90 range in the south half. Lows will generally be in the 50s and 60s. This will be several degrees above normal.
The first half of September was expected to be drier with a trend to normal or wetter weather in later September. Indications are that we will remain at or below normal rainfall for most of the state for the remainder of September. Over the next two weeks, rainfall is forecast to be mainly an inch or less with normal being 1.0-1.5 inches. The main rain areas will be off the southeast U.S. coast and in the upper Midwest as the attached two week rainfall graphic shows. High pressure will remain in control of a good portion of the southeast third of the U.S. as tropical activity off the U.S. Southeast Coast will help strengthen the high pressure in the Southeast.
Probabilities support our first first freeze at or later than normal for this autumn. Typically it occurs in the Oct. 10-20 range for much of the state. It is highly unlikely we will see anything before Oct. 10.
Looking at October, we expected near to slightly above normal and rainfall not too far from normal.