SAN ANTONIO – It is finally here!
Autumn officially arrives early Monday morning. If you think, however, that the autumnal equinox will bring an end to South Texas heat, think again.
As we all know too well, South Texas heat can stay with us well into October.
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But, since the autumnal equinox marks a significant meteorological event, let's take a moment to look back at our sizzling summer that was. Records were broken and our lawns turned from a lush green to a crunchy brown.
It is important to remember that meteorological records for summer are measured by the months of June, July and August. So, with that in mind, here is a look at Summer 2019, by the numbers:
For San Antonio, 17 days (including one day in September) registered above the century mark, including 12 consecutive days in August. That was enough for a record, ranking as the third-longest streak since records have been kept.
How does that compare? In 2009, we witnessed 59 days with temperatures higher than 100 degrees, the all-time record. This go-round we did not crack the top 10 in total number of 100-degree-plus days. On average, San Antonio sees 17 days at 100 or above each year.
But, we did have plenty of days that topped out at 98 and 99 degrees. There have also been 23 years when we did not hit 100 at all. So, this summer WAS hot and ranks as above average.
San Antonio's hottest day this year occurred on August 13, when temperature gauges topped out at 103. The all-time record high in San Antonio is 111, set back in 2000.
August 2019 would tie for the third-hottest month in recorded history, with an average temperature of 88.6. The average high temperature in August was 99.3!
Del Rio set records, too. On top of several daily records, the city would see 78 straight rain-free days. The stretch was only broken when .01" fell on September 11. Still, it was enough to rank as the fourth-longest on record.
Rainfall was hard to come by for all of South Texas. After a decent June total of 5.51" at San Antonio International Airport, July and August would only see 0.45" combined.
Drought slowly crept back in, with many areas currently in "extreme drought" conditions. The Edwards Aquifer, which had enjoyed large gains late in 2018 would see a 20-foot drop, before leveling off in September. Thankfully, the surplus seen in 2018 was able to sustain us through the summer, without facing restrictions.
The summer of 2019 will likely be remembered as extremely hot and dry, but falling just short of some of our worst drought years.
As we transition to the fall, we will keep our fingers crossed for a pattern change that will bring an end to the summer-like conditions.
Watch Justin's ode to fall below. Want weather forecasts, radars and alerts straight to your pocket? Download our KSAT Weather Authority app.