Boston racks up fourth driest and hottest summer on record

As August involves a detailed, Boston residents are wrapping up what may very well be the fourth driest – and fourth hottest – summer season on file, meteorologists stated.

Boston has had simply 4.42 inches of rainfall previously three months, in comparison with a mean of 10.39 inches, based on the Nationwide Climate Service. 

“We’ve been taking information for properly over 100 years and the fourth driest? That’s fairly vital,” stated Invoice Sullivan, a meteorologist for the NWS in Norton.

Boston’s driest summer season got here in 2016, with a mere 3.92 inches of precipitation. 2022 is the second yr within the twenty first century to crack the highest 4, falling behind 1957 and 1949.

Drought situations have plagued all of Massachusetts this summer season. Practically 96% of all the state remained beneath extreme or excessive drought final week, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly report launched August 25. This mass dryness impacts all the things from crops, to wildlife, to water high quality. The following weekly drought report will likely be launched Thursday.

2022 additionally noticed one of many warmest summers on file. Boston tied the file for many 90-degree days within the month of August, with 11. This places the entire for all the season at 21 days, every week above the 30-year common. 

The ultimate climatological numbers additionally won’t be finalized till Thursday, however consultants say this summer season will find yourself as a minimum of the fourth hottest on file – some assume it even has the potential to rise even increased within the ranks.

However what the recent temperatures and dry situations imply for the autumn stays unclear, consultants say.

“We’re actually in a warming sample,” Sullivan stated. “We may go to a fall sample the place some [drought] type of goes away, or we may return to a traditional rainfall sample. It’s robust to determine the place we go from right here.”

Sullivan defined that based on information from the NWS and the Local weather Prediction Middle, situations are tentatively anticipated to stay hotter and drier than regular by way of September. 

“With the probability of this sample, it’s in all probability going to be barely above regular, a pair levels, for the month. Hotter temperatures and under regular precipitation will probably proceed.”

The primary week of September guarantees some “implausible” climate, meteorologists say, with temperatures dipping into the 60s and excessive 50s.