Ask the News - Aug. 25

This seems like it’s been a hot August here on the High Plains. Is this any hotter than normal? How many days have we hit 100? Is there any cooler weather and/or rain in sight?

“People are definitely not imagining things,” said Andrew Mangham, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. “This is a hot August.”

Through Tuesday, Mangham said Clovis had seen three days in August with triple-digit high temperatures.

“The average maximum temperature for Clovis so far (in August) is 95.7 degrees,” he said. “The 30-year average maximum temperature for August in Clovis is 89.7.”

Mangham said the overall average temperature, including highs and lows, for Clovis this August is 80 degrees. That 30-year average? It’s 76 degrees.

The Agricultural Science Center at Clovis, through Thursday, has recorded three 100-degree days so far in August. It also has recorded 11 days in which the temperature reached 98 degrees or more.

Blame it on a high-pressure system over the entire region.

“That’s why it’s so hot. That high pressure system will be moving off to the east and it will bring increased chances for rain and cooler weather into (this) week,” Mangham said.

The heat isn’t limited to eastern New Mexico.

“Over here in the Albuquerque area, we’re on track to have the hottest August on record,” Mangham said.

“The climate in New Mexico is clearly getting hotter and drier. If you take a look at the top 10 hottest Augusts on record, seven of them have occurred since 1994.”

Mangham added the top four hottest Augusts have been since 2011.

“The trend is there, it is real, we are seeing a change towards hotter and drier weather,” Mangham said.

He noted there is also a change in rainfall.

“We are seeing a shift to more extreme rainfall events.

“So we have fewer storms, but the ones we have are producing more rain than in the past,” Mangham said.

The National Weather Service is encouraging residents be safe in this weather.

“Don’t leave kids and pets in cars. Be careful working outside. Take breaks and keep drinking water,” Mangham said.

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