PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
240 PM EDT TUE SEP 6 2005...CORRECTION FOR PRECIPITATION

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

...THE THIRD WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD IN HARRISBURG...

THE "TRADITIONAL" SUMMER IS MARKED BY THE MONTHS OF JUNE...JULY AND 
AUGUST. THIS YEAR SAW THE WARM DRY WEATHER SET IN EARLY AND LAST 
RIGHT INTO THE END OF AUGUST...BEFORE THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE 
KATRINA MARKED A CHANGE IN THE PATTERN TOWARD COOLER AND DRIER 
WEATHER.

AFTER ENDURING 2 CONSECUTIVE COOL-WET SUMMERS IN 2003 AND 
2004...THIS YEAR REBOUNDED IN GRAND FASHION IN THE STATE CAPITAL... 
ENDING UP WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 76.6. THIS WAS 3.1 DEGREES 
ABOVE NORMAL AND GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT THE 3RD WARMEST SUMMER IN 
HISTORY.

ANOTHER MEASURE OF HOW WARM IT WAS CAN BE INFERRED FROM THE NUMBER 
OF DAYS WE REACHED 90 DEGREES OR MORE DURING THE SUMMER. ON AVERAGE 
IN HARRISBURG THE HIGH TEMPERATURE CAN BE EXPECTED TO TOP 90 ABOUT 
16 TIMES A SUMMER. THIS YEAR WE SAW 24 DAYS WITH THE TEMPERATURES OF 
90 OR ABOVE.

WHILE A DRY SUMMER CAN ADVERSELY IMPACT LOCAL AGRICULTURE...THE 
OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL COMMUNITY USUALLY WELCOMES LONG PERIODS WITH 
LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION. THIS YEAR THEY WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED AS 
SEVERAL STRETCHES OF DRY WEATHER WERE OBSERVED. OF PARTICULAR NOTE 
WAS A 15 DAY PERIOD IN JUNE BETWEEN THE 14TH AND 28TH WHERE NO 
MEASURABLE RAIN FELL IN THE CITY. ANOTHER LONG DRY SET OF DAYS 
STARTED IN LATE JULY AND LASTED THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK IN AUGUST 
RESULTING IN ANOTHER NEARLY 2 WEEK STRETCH OF ALMOST IDEAL WEATHER 
FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY. OF THE 13 WEEKENDS AVAILABLE DURING THE 
SUMMER...7 SAW NO RAIN AT ALL. IN TOTAL...JUST 9.44 INCHES OF RAIN 
FELL DURING THE 3 MONTH PERIOD. THIS WAS AN INCH BELOW NORMAL 
FOR THE SEASON. WHILE IT WAS DRY...IT WAS NOWHERE NEAR THE TOP 
DRIEST SUMMERS IN HISTORY.

HERE IS HOW THE HARRISBURG SUMMER RANKED COMPARED TO THE OTHER WARM 
SUMMERS IN THE RECORD BOOKS.

YEAR    AVERAGE     DEPARTURE
      TEMPERATURE

1966     77.6       4.1 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1999     76.8       3.3 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
2005***  76.6       3.1 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1991     76.4       2.9 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1900     76.1       2.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL

YEAR  PRECIPITATION  DEPARTURE
         TOTAL

1983     6.28       4.16 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
2002     6.34       4.10 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1923     6.36       4.08 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1932     6.86       3.58 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1963     6.88       3.56 INCHES BELOW NORMAL

2005     9.44       1.00 INCHES BELOW NORMAL...JUST THE 44TH         
                    DRIEST ON RECORD.

THE TRADITIONAL SUMMER MAY BE OVER...BUT IT IS STILL MORE THAN 2 
WEEKS AWAY BEFORE THE OFFICIAL START OF AUTUMN. FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL 
DAYS AT LEAST...THE REGION CAN EXPECT A CONTINUATION OF THE NEARLY 
PERFECT WEATHER WITH WARM DRY DAYS...AND COOL COMFORTABLE NIGHTS.

LA CORTE

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