wt360 Weather Brief 8 Aug '26 Cooler/Wetter Week then Warmer/Drier Next Week
Captain's Log
8 Aug '26: Happy Saturday! :)
Drought continues to make improvement in the Northeast-Middle Atlantic but expanding in the Western half of the U.S. and spilling out into the South Central Plains. 71% of the U.S. is still in dry to drought phases which is the most in 14 years, +22% above average and +26% higher than last year. CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW.
Near term 30-day rainfall trends from 7 July - 8 August shows heavy rainfall for the Middle Atlantic and Northeast with expanding dryness in the South Central Plains - especially Oklahoma and Western Kansas. The U.S. overall has been +2% wetter than last year, +1% above average and 18th wettest of the past 41 years.
Wildfires continue to rage in the West with the devastating impact to the Spokane Washington area. There are currently 45,502 wildfires burning with 5.67 million acres burned the most in 4 years, +57% vs last year and +42% above average. This will continue to get worse over the next few months.
wt360 18 hour smoke forecast shows an incredibly high 419 pollution index for Central Washington which is beyond hazardous. Smoke plagues the Northwest skies with some lighter concentrations moving across the rest of the U.S.
There's a chance we get Tropical Storm #3 (Cristobal) with a strong system off Africa, but the wind shear and steering currents likely to keep this a fish storm well away from the U.S. A system will track south of Hawaii this week as well with some heavy rainfall for the Eastern Islands of the Big Island and Maui.
Last week (2-8 Aug) across the World shows the U.S. trending +1.7F warmer than last year and 15th warmest of the past 41 years. Hot 90F days were up +23% vs LY, 19th most in 41 years (near average), while rainfall was way up +51% vs LY and 8th wettest of the past 41 years. Cooler and Wetter across Canada helping to control wildfires, while Europe turned much hotter, warmest in 23 years.
Severe weather season-to-date as of 6 August shows tornadoes down -6% vs LY but +18% above average, hail down -10% vs LY and -17% below average, while wind cases are up +3% vs LY and +26% vs average the most in 15 years.
This week's severe weather outlook shows higher risk for the U.S. Corn Belt from South Dakota to Pennsylvania.
This week (9-15 Aug) across the U.S. shows national temperatures tending down -0.7F vs last year but still 7th warmest of the past 41 years. Hot 90F days are down -12% vs LY but still 12th most in 41 years, while rainfall is again up +2%, wettest in 3 years and 18th wettest in 41 years. This time of year, cooler and wetter weather is better for back2school sales for apparel, so we have some of that in the Midwest - Great Lakes and Northeast. Some much needed rain in the Rockies, unfortunately this is thunderstorms which can spark more fires despite the rain.
Next week (16-22 Aug) across the U.S. has temperatures up +0.3F vs last year, warmest in 3 years and 6th warmest of the past 41 years. Cooling for the Rockies and central Plains, while it remains very hot from North Texas to Tennessee. Hot 90F days down -22% vs last year, least in 4 years and 16th least in 41 years, while rainfall is down -25% vs last year and 3rd driest in 41 years. Continued wet in the Northeast.
The World 2-week Temperature Outlook (9-22 Aug) shows a cooler trend across the northern tier of the U.S., warmer south. Continued warm in Europe, especially France. Continued very cold/snowy for southern South America in their late Winter period.
The W0rld 2-week Precipitation Outlook (9-22 Aug) has heavier rainfall from the U.S. Rockies into the Northeast but very dry for much of Europe.
You can get this blog in your email inbox every weekend (FREE) via subscription.
Have a great week ahead, and don't forget to follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, Twitter(X), YouTube, Pinterest and Linkedin.
- Captain Kirk out (USAF Gulf War Veteran 1989-1999)
Drought continues to make improvement in the Northeast-Middle Atlantic but expanding in the Western half of the U.S. and spilling out into the South Central Plains. 71% of the U.S. is still in dry to drought phases which is the most in 14 years, +22% above average and +26% higher than last year. CLICK ON IMAGES FOR A LARGER VIEW.
Near term 30-day rainfall trends from 7 July - 8 August shows heavy rainfall for the Middle Atlantic and Northeast with expanding dryness in the South Central Plains - especially Oklahoma and Western Kansas. The U.S. overall has been +2% wetter than last year, +1% above average and 18th wettest of the past 41 years.
Wildfires continue to rage in the West with the devastating impact to the Spokane Washington area. There are currently 45,502 wildfires burning with 5.67 million acres burned the most in 4 years, +57% vs last year and +42% above average. This will continue to get worse over the next few months.
wt360 18 hour smoke forecast shows an incredibly high 419 pollution index for Central Washington which is beyond hazardous. Smoke plagues the Northwest skies with some lighter concentrations moving across the rest of the U.S.
There's a chance we get Tropical Storm #3 (Cristobal) with a strong system off Africa, but the wind shear and steering currents likely to keep this a fish storm well away from the U.S. A system will track south of Hawaii this week as well with some heavy rainfall for the Eastern Islands of the Big Island and Maui.
Last week (2-8 Aug) across the World shows the U.S. trending +1.7F warmer than last year and 15th warmest of the past 41 years. Hot 90F days were up +23% vs LY, 19th most in 41 years (near average), while rainfall was way up +51% vs LY and 8th wettest of the past 41 years. Cooler and Wetter across Canada helping to control wildfires, while Europe turned much hotter, warmest in 23 years.
Severe weather season-to-date as of 6 August shows tornadoes down -6% vs LY but +18% above average, hail down -10% vs LY and -17% below average, while wind cases are up +3% vs LY and +26% vs average the most in 15 years.
This week's severe weather outlook shows higher risk for the U.S. Corn Belt from South Dakota to Pennsylvania.
This week (9-15 Aug) across the U.S. shows national temperatures tending down -0.7F vs last year but still 7th warmest of the past 41 years. Hot 90F days are down -12% vs LY but still 12th most in 41 years, while rainfall is again up +2%, wettest in 3 years and 18th wettest in 41 years. This time of year, cooler and wetter weather is better for back2school sales for apparel, so we have some of that in the Midwest - Great Lakes and Northeast. Some much needed rain in the Rockies, unfortunately this is thunderstorms which can spark more fires despite the rain.
Next week (16-22 Aug) across the U.S. has temperatures up +0.3F vs last year, warmest in 3 years and 6th warmest of the past 41 years. Cooling for the Rockies and central Plains, while it remains very hot from North Texas to Tennessee. Hot 90F days down -22% vs last year, least in 4 years and 16th least in 41 years, while rainfall is down -25% vs last year and 3rd driest in 41 years. Continued wet in the Northeast.
The World 2-week Temperature Outlook (9-22 Aug) shows a cooler trend across the northern tier of the U.S., warmer south. Continued warm in Europe, especially France. Continued very cold/snowy for southern South America in their late Winter period.
The W0rld 2-week Precipitation Outlook (9-22 Aug) has heavier rainfall from the U.S. Rockies into the Northeast but very dry for much of Europe.
You can get this blog in your email inbox every weekend (FREE) via subscription.
Have a great week ahead, and don't forget to follow us on social media for updates: Facebook, Twitter(X), YouTube, Pinterest and Linkedin.
- Captain Kirk out (USAF Gulf War Veteran 1989-1999)