August 2018 was warmer than average (16.4°C versus an average of 15.4), drier than average (49.20 mm versus an average total of 50.00) and calmer than average (a wind run of 2258 miles versus an average of 2273).
Temperatures in August 2018 topped 20°C on 17 days. It wasn’t until the last week or so that the summer-long heatwave started to relent. The maximum temperature in the month was 27.7°C, recorded at 17:06 on the 5th. The minimum temperature was 6.9°C recorded at 06:28 on the 30th, with the monthly average being 16.4°C, beating the previous August record set in 2013 by 0.1°C. The average daily high temperature was 21.0°C, a record for August. The average daily low temperature was 12.0°C. The warmest day was the 6th with an average of 20.8°C, with the coldest day being the 24th with an average temperature of 10.8°C. There were no frost days in the month.
The highest dew point was 19.1°C at 13:37 on the 3rd. The minimum dew point was 5.5°C at 06:28 on the 30th. The monthly average dew point was 12.5°C. The high wind chill was 27.7°C at 17:06 on the 5th, with the low wind chill being 6.9°C at 06:28 on the 30th. The average monthly wind chill was 16.3°C. The maximum heat index was 28.1°C recorded at 16:08 on the 2nd. There were 178.18 hours of sunshine, with the sunniest day being the 4th when 9.56 hours was recorded.
August 2018 was slightly drier than average with 49.2 millimetres being recorded, making the new mean 49.8 millimetres. On the 23rd, 16.6 millimetres of rainfall was recorded, making it the second wettest day of 2018, beaten only by the 21.0 millimetres recorded on April 2nd. There were only 11 rain days in the month, a record low for August, beating the previous low of 14 days set in 2013. The highest rain rate was 85.4 millimetres recorded at 15:29 on the 24th. The yearly rainfall total is now 368.2 millimetres, 105% of what is normally expected by the end of August.
The highest barometric pressure was 1024.3 millibars at 00:32 on the 5th. The lowest barometric pressure was 999.2 millibars at 18:38 on the 26th. The average pressure in the month was 1014.6 millibars. The highest humidity was 98% and the monthly average humidity was 79%. The lowest humidity was 43% at 17:23 on the 6th.
Winds were very light and predominantly westerly (248°). The highest wind gust in the month was 25 mph recorded at 13:30 on the 24th. The average gust speed in the month was 4.8 mph, mean 5.5 mph. The average wind speed was 3.1 mph, mean 3.4 mph. The maximum wind speed was 12 mph at 19:43 on the 15th. The total wind run was 2258.3 miles.
The maximum high solar radiation recorded at 12:33 on the 3rd was 1134 w/m². The average solar radiation for the month was 148 w/m². The highest U.V. Index was 7.0 recorded at 12:29 on the 3rd, the second highest of the year, beaten only by the 7.1 recorded on June 20th.
