Still Time for Muggy August Weather

BY JIM TAYLOR

The dog days of August haven’t been the dog days of August -- at least to this point. High temperatures have been in the upper 70’s to lower 80’s for most of the state so far this month.

“You know looking at the first seven days of August, temperatures have averaged several degrees below normal across most of the central and eastern U.S.,” said meteorologist Dan Hicks with Freese-Notis Weather. “We’re seeing some parts of the plain states where it’s been almost ten degrees below normal for the first week of August.”

The weather picture was much different in July. High temperatures, high dew points and high humidity resulted in excessive heat warnings in much of Illinois. There's a downside to the cooler temperatures in August.

“I guess the negative side to the pleasant weather pattern is it’s still not producing significant rain to parts of the Midwest that badly need rain,” Hicks said.

That’s because the jet stream is parked too far south to bring moisture into Illinois and the rest of the Midwest.

“The more active pattern is affecting parts of the southern half of the plains down into the southern U.S.,” Hicks said. He expects the cooler temps to continue over the next seven days with relatively light rainfall and then warmer temperatures, high humidity and better chances of rain returning in the third and fourth weeks of August.