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The almost quarter inch of rain Sunday, like the 0.43 inch of rain that fell Aug. 29-30, with. 0.4 inches the 29th and 0.03 the 30th, may end Skagit County’s summer burn ban but is not alleviating the region’s drought. The 0.5 inch August rainfall total was 0.7 inches below the century’s average of 1.2 inches, making it the eighth driest since 2000 and one of 14 with less than an inch of precipitation.

August rainfall was 0.7 inches below the century average of 1.2 inches, 57.8%.

Seven of the driest years have been since 2014. Last year only 0.2 inches of rain fell in August. Still, four of the wettest Augusts since 2000 have been since 2013. In 2016 2.9 inches of rain fell.

The 10.4 inches of 2023 rain is 7.9 inches below the century average of 18.2 inches for Jan.-Aug., 43% below the year’s century average. Monthly precipitation has been from 16% to 70% below normal except for July, when it was only 8.1% below the century average.

The average daily maximum temperature of 74.1 degrees was 1.6 degrees above the century average. The month’s high of 86.9 degrees Aug. 16 came the fourth day of temperatures above 83.5 degrees, Aug. 13-17. Six days were above 80 degrees. Last year 12 days topped 80 degrees.

August’s daily average temperature of 67.7 degrees was 1.4 degrees above the century average. The month’s daily minimum of 52.3 degrees was 0.5 degrees above average for the last 24 years. Two record low temperatures were set for their day, 42.8 degrees the 19th and 45.2 degrees the 22nd.

Data measured at the WSU Mount Vernon Memorial Highway weather station.

Rain Report: August 2023

Rain last week, Aug. 27-Sept. 2: 0.43

Rainfall for month: 0.49

Number of rain days: 4

Average rainfall 2000-2023: 1.2

Least rain: 0.01, 2012

Most rain: 6.29, 2004

Rainfall last month, July: 0.6

All totals in inches. Data from WSU Mount Vernon, Memorial Highway.