As summer winds down, temperatures in the 90s are expected to linger into fall. That comes on the heels of Augusta nearly cracking the top 10 of hottest August temperatures on record.
"August was a hot month in general," said Matthew Gropp, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Columbia, South Carolina. "... It was Augusta's 11th-warmest August by average temperature. That record goes back to 1874. So it was definitely hot; not top 10, but close."
Climate change is contributing to rising temperatures, sea-level rise, drought and flooding, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Those changes can affect water resources, energy systems,
transportation, wildlife, agriculture, ecosystems and human health.
Gropp said Augusta's highest temperature in August was 102 degrees on Aug. 17.
"I don't think we set any records," he said. "It was the 11th-warmest August by average temperature. If you look at the average maximum temperature, it was the 14th warmest on record. By minimum temperature, it wasn't in the top 25. That implies the warmth was mainly driven by daytime highs, which is a little unusual."
Gropp said warmer overnight temperatures have typically been the driving factor behind long-term warming trends, but August's heat was "primarily driven by daytime highs."
Augusta reached 100 degrees three times during the month − Aug. 17, 18, and 20, Gropp said.
"Temperatures reached 99 degrees or higher for four consecutive days. Overall, we were slightly above average almost every day, and that accumulated into a pretty warm August," he said. "It was an interesting month because there wasn't anything terribly extreme on either end."
Gropp said heat index values were more unusual than the actual air temperatures because humidity remained high while temperatures still climbed to 100 degrees.
"Typically, we get the hottest temperatures when it's dry because that allows the air to warm more quickly and efficiently," he said. "The raw air temperatures weren't all that remarkable, but the heat index values were more anomalous."
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@usatodayco.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta's August heat nears record levels as hot fall looms | Exclusive
