August outlook released: Will 100º days return?
AUSTIN (KXAN) - This years July has been cooler than most with the rain keeping temperatures lower in the first few weeks. In fact, through July 21 we haven't had any above average high temperatures yet this month.
Looking to the future, a new outlook has been released for what we can expect in the month of August.
August Temperature and Rain Outlooks
The Climate Prediction Center released updated outlooks on temperature and rainfall for the month of August. The temperature outlook is keeping most of Central Texas near-normal, with the Hill Country westward leaning warmer than normal.
After a historically wet beginning of July, August is looking drier. All of Texas is looking to experience near-normal rainfall. Wetter than normal weather should stay farther east into the southeastern U.S.
What Is a Normal August?
August is considered the hottest month of the year in Central Texas with highs averaging in the high 90s and lows in the mid 70s. On average, there are around 13 triple digit days in the month of August with rainfall totals staying under 3 inches.
With a more normal August expected, it seems unlikely we'll be able to get through our hottest month of the year without 100º heat returning to Austin.
Triple digit drought in 2025
Since the start of 2025, Central Texas has only experienced 2 triple digit days, both happening in May. May typically doesn't get triple digit days and only 2011 had more triple digit days in May than we saw this year. Since then, we've been in a triple digit drought.
In recent years, the number of triple digit days has ranged from 1-41 days from January through July 21.
We have had a cooler July than normal with no triple digit days so far, which doesn't happen much. Only 29% percent of past Julys (since the late 1800s) did not experience triple digit days, as opposed to the the 71% that did.
More recently it's been much less common. In the last 30 years, only 16% of Julys haven't had triple digit days.
The last time we didn't see triple digits in July was in 2010.
As we wrap up July, rain chances continue to stay low and temperatures are gradually increasing making way for dryer and hotter conditions as we enter into August.