August Weather & Climate Outlook
Pam Knox, Agricultural Climatologist, UGA
The temperature in July has been generally slightly cooler than normal, with daytime temperatures
below normal (from clouds) and overnight temperatures warmer than normal due to the abundant
humidity we have experienced this month. This is also reflected in the wetter than normal rainfall for
most of Georgia in July, as several fronts have dropped into the state from the north, serving as a focus
of developing thunderstorms that have produced spotty rain across the region. Some areas have seen a
lot while other areas nearby have been mostly missed by the showers. Because of the rain, drought
conditions in most of the state have seen significant improvements, and these are likely to continue.
In August, the pattern looks similar to July, especially in the first two weeks. We will continue to see
periods of showery weather broken by occasional dry periods. Temperatures are expected to be hotter
than normal early in the month but should move back towards more seasonal conditions later in August.
Precipitation in the first two weeks is expected to be near normal but is expected to increase again near
the end of August, especially if the tropical season starts to ramp up. It will be scattered as we expect in
summer thunderstorms, and some areas will see more rainfall than others.
So far this year, the Atlantic tropics have been relatively quiet, with just three named storms and no
hurricanes so far. This has been due in large part to large plumes of Saharan dust that affect the vertical
temperature structure of the atmosphere and reduce thunderstorm development while cooling the sea
surface a little. Once these subside, we should start to see the tropical waves coming off of Africa grow
more quickly and turn into tropical storms and hurricanes as the peak part of the tropical season
approaches in mid-September. Of course, we don’t know where they will go, but the Southeast usually
gets the effects of several of them.
Longer-term, NOAA and others are continuing to predict the continuation of a triple-dip La Nina, which
is keeping the Eastern Pacific Ocean one of the few areas in the globe cooler than the long-term
average. This is expected to last through winter, which could mean another warmer and drier than
normal winter for at least parts of Georgia. Last year when this happened, it meant that some parts of
the state did not see frost until well into January, allowing some pests and diseases to overwinter well
into the year. This makes early treatment of potential problems, including in-furrow treatment,
something of special importance in 2023. However, that is a long way off yet, and ENSO predictions in
mid-summer are not always accurate for next winter, so you will need to keep an eye on this when it
comes closer to planning for the next growing season.