August was a touch cooler than normal

The man who calculates the state’s weather records says August of 1999 wascooler and somewhat drier than usual.State Climatologist Harry Hillacker says temperatures averaged adegree-and-a-half below normal in August. That compares to July, which wasa significantly warmer-than-normal month.Hillacker says August’s cool weather was good for crops which were wiltingunder July’s heat.Hillaker says the summer has been about normal for temperature extremes,which may surprise some Iowans who suffered through the sweltering heat.Despite the extreme heat of July, the summer is tracking only one-tenth ofone degree above normal. Rainfall for the summer is about one inch abovenormal statewide, though some areas were much higher. As for the seasonsahead, Hillaker says it’s hard to determine exactly what the current La Ninapattern will bring.The Farmer’s Almanac predicts big blizzards toward year’s end.