July 2010 Climate Summary - Georgia
Prepared by Pam Knox, Assistant State Climatologist
Temperatures in July continued to be above normal, although both record highs and lows were set during the month. Spotty rainfall caused more stress on crops and lawns.
Temperatures across the state were warmer than normal everywhere in Georgia this July, continuing the heat we felt in June. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 82.3 degrees F (2.3 degrees above normal), in Athens 83.0 degrees (3.2 degrees above normal), Columbus 85.0 (3.0 degrees above normal), Macon 83.4 (2.3 above normal), Savannah 83.9 (1.8 above normal), Brunswick 84.0 (1.6 above normal), Alma 83.3 (1.3 above normal), Valdosta 84.2 (1.8 above normal) and Augusta 83.6 (2.8 above normal).
There were many individual station records for temperature in July. Record high temperature were set in Athens (103 F on the 26th breaking the old record of 101 from 1925), Columbus (99 on the 26th and 102 on the 31st), Savannah (102 set on the 26th breaking the old record of 102 from 1986), and Brunswick (99 set on the 30th breaking the old record of 98 set in 1961). Several record low temperatures were also set early in the month, including, Savannah with 62 degrees on July 3rd breaking the old record of 64 set in 1965 and Augusta, with record lows three days in a row (59, 59 and 60 F) on July 3-5. Alma also set a record low of 62 on the 3rd, breaking the old record of 63 set in 1975. Several other record highs were tied in the second half of the month.
It was the record warmest May-July period for the stations at Atlanta, Athens, and Savannah and the second warmest May through July for Columbus.
Most of the state received received below normal rainfall; however, a few isolated areas received rainfall that was significantly above normal, including areas in Coweta, Liberty and McIntosh Counties.
Source: www.weather.gov
The highest monthly total from National Weather Service reporting stations was 6.97 inches in Macon (2.65 inches above normal) and the lowest was Athens at 1.40 inches (3.01 below normal). Valdosta received 4.56 inches (1.87 below normal), Alma 2.51 inches (3.50 inches below normal), Brunswick 3.62 (1.19 below normal), Atlanta 4.37 (0.75 below normal), Columbus 2.16 (2.88 below normal), Savannah 2.18 (3.86 below normal) and Augusta 5.86 (1.79 inches above normal).
A record daily rainfall was set in Brunswick, where 2.25 inches fell on the 11th, breaking the old record of 1.57 inches set in 1993.
Source: www.weather.gov
The highest single day rainfall from CoCoRaHS stations was 6.30 inches south of Senoia in Coweta County in west central Georgia on July 13. An observer in Franklin Springs in Franklin County received 6.28 inches on the 2nd. The highest monthly rainfall total in May was 12.25 inches near Darien in McIntosh County, followed by 9.33 inches from the observer near Senoia in Coweta County.
Severe weather hit somewhere in Georgia on 17 days during the month. The vast majority of these reports were for high winds, including a report of a 76 mph wind at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta on the 28th. A few reports of small hail were also made. No tornadoes were observed in July in Georgia.
Due to the almost daily occurrence of pop-up thunderstorms, there were many reports of lightning-caused damage across the state. On July 27 alone, Gwinnett County firefighters reported over 120 incidents, resulting in 14 house fires, 12 apartment fires, and one fire to a business. One estimate indicated over 1000 strokes of lightning in the Atlanta area on that day in just 15 minutes. Two prize brood mares were killed by lightning, resulting in an uninsured loss of over $100,000. Two teens were killed by lightning that hit the tree they were standing underneath on July 13 in Austell in Cobb County.
Three heat-related deaths were reported in central Georgia in July, two in Bleckley County and one in Twiggs County.
During July, the heat continued to cause stress on crops and animals, particularly in areas that are not irrigated. Reductions in yield are starting to be reported in several crops, including cotton.