Annandale - Lowell reports:
"
Headlines:
Since last year at this time only two of the last twelve months have had
above average rainfall and both were less than +0.09 above the average.
For the year we now have a deficit of 11.23 inches in precipitation and
with last year's deficit of 7.84 inches we are still behind a total of
19.07 inches.
September was warm and still short on rainfall. The average mean temperature
was 70.18 degrees, a departure of +2.63° F. It was the warmest September
since 1998 and the third warmest in the last 22 years. The lowest
temperature for the month was only 52°F. Over the past 22 years the lowest
temperature here in September has always been in the 40's with 49°F been
the previous record in 1988. The first nine months of this year have
averaged so far +2.63°F above the average mean making for a very warm year.
We had seven days with measurable precipitation; only four years have had
less with four being the record. The September rainfall deficit was 1.79
inches. The 0.80 inches of rain on the 1st was the greatest amount to fall
on September 1st in the last 22-years. Since last year at this time only
two of the last twelve months have had above average rainfall and both were
less than +0.09 above the average. For the year we now have a deficit of
11.23 inches in precipitation and with last year's deficit of 7.84 inches
we are still behind a total of 19.07 inches.
The 30mph west wind on the 11th at 1122 hours was associated
with the passage of a cold front. The average barometric
pressure for the month was 30.10 inches that was the highest
since 1995.
September DAILY Records Tied or Broken- (22-Years of records) -
August 2002 had 17 daily records:
September had 1 daily LOW maximum, Sept. 1st;
September had 1 daily HIGH minimum, Sept. 15th;
September had 3 daily LOW range, Sept. 1st, 2nd, 15th;
September had 1 daily HIGH precipitation records for the date, Sept. 26.
" [ + - ]
Arlington - Dewey Walston of NWS WBC reports:
"
No records were established in September. September picked up where August left off.
Temperatures this month were above normal and precipitation was below normal.
Drought conditions continued over the area.
Rainfall for the month was 1.69" below normal while
average temps were 2.5° above normal. The average
wind speed was 8.6 mph.
[ + - ]
Blacksburg - NWS Blacksburg reports the monthly mean temp
was 4.3° above normal while rainfall was 0.98" below normal. [ + - ]
Bridgewater - "
The average temperature was 4.4° above normal. The
precipitation was .1 inches below normal. Bridgewater is 3.01 inches below
normal for the year.
Although the precipitation was near normal, the month was quite
dry. No rainfall occurred during the first two weeks. Most of the rain came
on two days near the end of the month from the remnants of tropical storm,
Isador.
" - report from Clayton [ + - ]
Centreville -
"
The average daily temperature for September tried to hold the line by
working out to be 6.2° above the 65.6°. That is within a degree of where
the average dailies have been during the summer months this year. A
maximum high of 91° on the 10th coupled with one more day with a max of 90°
contributed quite a bit to us being 1.8° over our historical average high of
79.6°. The day-to-day highs were average to slightly above throughout the
month with the nightly low's being much above where they ought to be.
Our statistical average low temperature of nearly 52° was exceeded by 10.6°
this month and came in a distant second to January which had an average
nightly low of 13.2° above normal.
September started off with a nice light rain on the first giving us 0.39"
to get things started, and offering hope that our rain dance had done the
trick. All thoughts of success in that department went by the way of the
tipping bucket though when we had to wait another two weeks for so much as
a 0.08" offering; about a year's supply for a cactus. During the first
three weeks of the month we came up with less than half an inch of
precipitation. Then on the 22nd and 23rd we were dealt a measly pair of
0.14's. Hey, that's up to _" of rain now for the month, we'll take it.
Having over seeded and fertilized for the fall earlier in the month,
everything was coming along just great. Brown seeds, brown grass, and
its still only September; what a gardening genius. Our dry spell broke on
the 26th when a twelve-hour soaking rain netted 1.69", or almost 70% of our
monthly total of 2.44". Not the 3.99" we were told to expect, but probably
about right for the amount of dancing I did.
- notes from Paul [ + - ]
Charlottesville - The monthly average temperature was 0.3° below
normal while rainfall was 1.41" below normal. The average wind speed
was 3.4 mph. [ + - ]
Dulles - The mean temp was 1.8° above normal. The monthly
rainfall was 0.98" below normal. Average wind speed, 5.7 mph. - from NWS WBC
[ + - ]
Falls Church - "
September 2002 was a warmer than average month with below normal rainfall.
A front came through during the day on the 11th and my max wind gust was
25mph. The unusual thing about this month is I had no days with thunder.
" - report from Erica
[ + - ]
Hampton - Report from Dave: "
Much needed precip with temps near normal. No station records were tied or broken.
"
Harrisonburg - Terry sends these email notes:
"
Temperatures for September averaged 4.3° above normal. Total
precipitation for the month was 3.28" which was .24" below normal. Yearly
precipitation totals 24.87" which is 2.49" below normal.
" [ + - ]
Herndon Bob notes: "
My average max was 1° below, and the average
min was 2° above, the normals for Dulles.
My precip was 0.58" below "normal." Not a bad month,
but again, the distribution was poor
"
[ + - ]
Herndon -
"
The monthly temperature was 0.9° above
average and rainfall was 0.96" below average.
Despite the above normal monthly mean temperature, of
note was the fact that my station did not record a
temperature above 87° once in the entire month
of September. We had the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna
move through the area on the 14th and 15th. It made
landfall in the Gulf of Mexico and was uneventful here.
" - notes from Russ [ + - ]
Lexington - Scott from WREL notes:
"
Average temperature in Lexington was 68.0° which
is 1° above normal.
Rainfall for the month as 0.15 inches above normal. Hanna
provided very little rainfall while Isidore dumped slightly
over 2 inches thoughout most of the Southern Shenandoah Valley.
Again, we'd like to let everyone know, WREL publishes tropical
computer model maps on our web site. If you'd like to
view, here is the address:
http://www.wrel.com/modelmap.htm
Just remember the vagaries of computer model output and the
fact that they are subject to large fluctuations.
" - [ + + ]
Louisa - "
What can I say about the weather here? Hot, dry...How dry was it ?
It's so dry here, the fish are knocking on the door, askin'
for a drink of water. But seriously folks ...Twenty-two days
with highs in the 90's and 101° for the monthly high. Not
a record but warm enough. Precipitation was right at our thirty year
average...not much help when it comes all in one day !
" - report from Joe [ + +/-]
Lynchburg -
Rainfall for the month was 1.42" below normal while
the mean temp was 2.8° above normal. - from NWS Blacksburg
[ + - ]
Norfolk - NWS AKQ reported the mean temp at ORF was 2.0° above normal.
Rainfall was 2.63" above normal. Rainfall for the year was 1.02" below normal.
The average wind speed was 8.3 mph. [ + + ]
Portsmouth - The average temp for September was 1.6° in excess of the
normal. Rainfall was 112% (+0.54") of the normal. Station records set in
include:
10th - Maximum Minimum Temperature 76° [previously 75° in 1985]
11th - Maximum Wind Speed 25 mph [previously 23 mph in 1992]
15th - Maximum Minimum Temperature 73° [previously 72° in 1980]
23rd - Maximum Minimum Temperature 72° [previously 69° in 1980]
27th - Maximum Minimum Temperature 73° [previously 71° in 1976]
The average wind speed was 2.83 mph from a dominant NNE direction.
Sky cover for the month was 44.17%.
For the year, mean temps are running about 2.3° above
normal while rainfall was 3.66" below normal (90%).
The long-term deficit is 12.06" (since September 2001).
[ + + ]
Richmond - NWS AKQ reported the mean temp at RIC was 2.0° above normal.
Rainfall was 1.10" below normal. For the year, rainfall was 10.18" below normal.
The average wind speed was 6.8 mph. [ + - ]
Mechanicsville - Glenn notes: "
T-storms occurred on the 4th and again on the 15th from Tropical Storm Hanna.
Other than during those times, the month was fairly dry."
New Market = "
We are about 2° warmer than usual for the month. Rain is about 2" above
normal for the month. No rain to speak of for all most a month and than we
finally got it. YEA!!!!!!!!!!
Our pond has been bone dry for weeks and now we have a little water in it.
Conserving water like crazy. So many people around here have lost their
wells. We are on a well and just keep hoping the water will last.
Thanks heavens for this last rain.
" - notes from Joyce [ + - ]
Roanoke - Wendell notes: "
Rains from Isidore brought 1.98" of rain. Total for the month 3.82" is 0.38"
below normal. September was 2.0° above normal temperature and was very humid.
" [ + - ]
Roanoke - NWS Blacksburg reports that the monthly mean temp was
2.9° above normal. Rainfall was 0.31" below normal. [ + - ]
Woodstock -
"
Warm (2/17) and wet (6/17), with two big rains that really soaked
in. Rainfall this year is well within the normal range despite a dry
fall and winter (2001-2002).
"
- notes from Lauck [ + + ]
North Carolina:
Asheville - from NWS GSP: The monthly mean temp was 3.1° above
normal and the rainfall was 2.33" below normal. The average wind speed was
4.2 mph. Average relative humidity 80% while the average sky cover was 50%.
[ + - ]
Charlotte - NWS GSP reports the mean temp here was 0.6° above normal
and precip was 0.29" below normal. The average wind speed was 5.7 mph.
[ - + ]
Elizabeth City - The Elizabeth City Coast Guard Station [ECG]
reported an average wind speed of 8.5 mph. The mean temp was 1.1° above normal
while rainfall was 1.81" below normal. - from NWS AKQ [ + - ]
Fayetteville - NWS RDU reports the average wind speed was 6.5 mph and
the average relative humidity was 77% while the average sky cover was 40%.
Cape Hatteras -
The average temperature in September 2002 was 76.7°. This was 1.2° warmer
than the 1895-2002 average, the 32nd warmest September on record (1895-2002).
7.76" of precipitation fell in September. This was 2.39" more than the
1895-2002 average, the 24th wettest such month on record (1895-2002).
- from NCDC [ + + ]
Greensboro - NWS RDU notes a mean temp here of 2.0° above normal.
Rainfall was 0.55" below normal. The average wind speed was 6.0 mph.
The average relative humidity was 79%. The average sky cover was 60%.
[ + - ]
Lumberton - The average wind speed was 6.0 mph. The average monthly
temperature 3.5° above normal while rainfall 2.62" below normal - from NWS ILM
[ + + ]
Raleigh - NWS RAH reported the monthly average temp was 1.9° above
normal while rainfall was 0.78" below normal. The average relative humidity
was 76% while the average sky cover was 50%. -
[ + - ]
Raleigh - Bob reports: "
Uneventful month weather wise. As been the case lately, above normal
temperatures in combination with below normal rainfall. Rainfall for the
year is now 3.79" below normal.
"
- [ + - ]
Roxboro - Merriell notes: "
September was slightly warmer than normal and still dry overall, with less than
normal rainfall. Even with some beneficial rains, extreme drought conditions
exits.
"
[ + - ]
Wilmington - From NWS ILM:
The average temp was 1.5° above below
normal while rainfall was a 1.84" below normal.
The average wind speed was 6.9 mph.
[ + - ]
South Carolina:
Charleston - NWS CHS reports the monthly mean temp was 2.9° above
normal. Rainfall was 1.06" below normal. The average wind speed was 7.6 mph.
A tornado was observed on the 28th.
[ + - ]
Columbia - NWS CAE reports that the mean temp here was 2.8° above
normal. Rainfall was a 3.42" above normal. The average wind speed was 5.8 mph.
Average average relative humidity was 72% while the average sky cover was
60%. [ + + ]
Florence - The mean temp here was 1.7° above normal
while rainfall totals were 1.37" below normal. The average wind speed was 6.6 mph.
- from NWS ILM [ - + ]
Greenville-Spartanburg - The monthly mean temperature was 1.8°
above normal while rainfall was 3.23" above normal. The average wind speed
was 5.9 mph.
The average relative humidity was 76% and the average sky cover was 50%.
- from NWS GSP [ + + ]
North Myrtle Beach - The mean temp was 3.3° above normal while
rainfall was 1.04" below normal. The average wind speed was 7.0 mph.
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET ON 11TH (94). PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH 91 DEGREES SET IN 1950.
- from NWS ILM [ + - ]
Orangeburg - NWS CAE reports the average wind speed was
5.6 mph. The average sky cover was 30% while the average relative humidity
was 70%.
Nearby Cities:
Tri-Cities - The mean temp was 3.1° above normal while the
monthly precip was 0.20" below normal. For the year, rainfall was 5.10" below
normal. - from NWS MRX [ + - ]
