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

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

...THE 6TH WARMEST SUMMER ON RECORD IN WILLIAMSPORT...

THE "TRADITIONAL" SUMMER IS MARKED BY THE MONTHS OF JUNE...JULY AND 
AUGUST. THIS YEAR SAW THE WARM 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 WILLIAMSPORT...ENDING 
UP WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 73.9. THIS WAS 3.5 DEGREES ABOVE 
NORMAL AND GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT THE 6TH 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 WILLIAMSPORT THE HIGH TEMPERATURE CAN BE EXPECTED TO TOP 90 ABOUT 
13 TIMES A SUMMER. THIS YEAR WE SAW 24 DAYS WITH THE TEMPERATURES OF 
90 OR ABOVE. IT MIGHT BE RECALLED THAT LAST YEAR WE SAW IT REACH 90 
JUST ONE TIME.

WHILE A DRY SUMMER CAN ADVERSELY IMPACT LOCAL AGRICULTURE...THE 
OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL COMMUNITY USUALLY WELCOMES LONG PERIODS WITH 
LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION. DESPITE THE OVERALL RAINFALL TOTAL BEING 
A BIT ABOVE NORMAL THIS YEAR...THEY WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED AS SEVERAL 
STRETCHES OF DRY WEATHER WERE OBSERVED. AT LEAST 3 TIMES DURING THE 
SUMMER THE CITY SAW MORE THAN 7 DAYS PASS BETWEEN MEASURABLE 
PRECIPITATION. THE RESULT WAS ALMOST IDEAL WEATHER FOR OUTDOOR 
ACTIVITY. OF THE 13 WEEKENDS AVAILABLE DURING THE SUMMER...6 SAW NO 
RAIN AT ALL. IN TOTAL...14.49 INCHES OF RAIN FELL DURING THE 3 MONTH 
PERIOD. THIS WAS 2.58 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE SEASON. WHILE 
WET...IT ONLY MANAGED TO BE THE 17TH WETTEST IN HISTORY.

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

YEAR    AVERAGE     DEPARTURE
      TEMPERATURE

1901     75.0       4.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1949     74.2       3.8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1900     74.2       3.8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1955     74.1       3.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
1995     74.0       3.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL
2005***  73.9       3.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL

YEAR  PRECIPITATION  DEPARTURE
         TOTAL

1909     6.00       5.91 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1929     6.15       5.76 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1995     6.36       5.55 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1953     6.51       5.40 INCHES BELOW NORMAL
1951     6.83       5.08 INCHES BELOW NORMAL

2005***  14.49      2.58 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL 

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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