I'm a bit mystified. It's 77°F and cloudy in the vicinity of Penn Yan New York this morning, and so far August has been...delightful. First I heard how bad the Winters here are, and this past Winter was mild with hardly any snow—not once did I need to call a plow or fire up the snowblower. Then I heard the Summers are wet, and we went months with no rain at all (thankfully that has since abated somewhat—the grass that didn't die is greening up again). Last Summer, when I arrived here, August was dreadfully hot and in September we had, well, August—a succession of 90°F+ days with pitiless sun beating down.
This year I was all prepared for August and September to be hot and miserable...and so far in August we've had some of the nicest days of the summer.
So what's the weather like where I live?
So far, I have no idea.
Mike
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Jim Bullard: "Old NNY saying: 'If you don't like the weather wait a minute.' It isn't quite that changeable but it is highly varied from year-to-year. I can remember years when my snow shovel never got used and others when it snowed from mid-October all the way through early April. There are summers that are chilly and wet to the point that people complain we never had summer that year. This summer here (North of the Adirondacks) we've had more 90+ days than I can remember (I'm 71) and it hit 101° last week."
The weather's brutal here in southern New England this week. Dew point in the 70s and temperature in the 90s—about as uncomfortable as it can get.
Posted by: Carl | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 01:03 PM
Welcome to climate change 2016!
Posted by: Michael Trupiano | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 01:44 PM
During the six months I lived in San Francisco in 1976, I saw a little snow and a lot of heat, well over 90 degrees once. I don't remember seeing any fog. Average weather doesn't exist, except in the stats.
Posted by: John McMillin | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 04:14 PM
Mike:
One thing I have always liked about the northeast is the way this season's weather can color the photographs taken in August. There is a certain weight to the atmosphere that makes pictures feel different to me. Maybe it's just the color processing of the cameras I use. I don't really know. But as a photographer, I do like it here this time of year.
Posted by: Rick | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 04:56 PM
Making my first visit to US this week, well, Friday onwards. Expect NYC to be hot hot hot, but will be pleasantly surprised if it's less than 80F. And not bringing my DSLR but relying on Lumix LX100...lighter weight and less hassle. MoMA apart, any photographically significant places I should see?
Posted by: David Lonsdale | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 05:00 PM
Things here (Key West FL) have been fairly typical of August, though perhaps a little rainier than in recent years. We've been having highs in the upper 80s (F) and lows in the lower 80s with multiple brief showers most days.
Posted by: dwig | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 05:04 PM
No Carl, temps in the 90's and dew point in the 70's is not as uncomfortable as it can get. Take for instance our week last week, here in Austin, Texas. On Thurs. and Friday the thermometers read 104 and 105 respectively. The low at night was around 83. The dew point during the day was nestled in at 78 giving us a heat index on Friday of about 114 degrees Fahrenheit. I grabbed a camera and tried to go out and document what this hot weather looked like but when I got out of my car the soles of my shoes melted into the asphalt and rendered me immobile. Thank goodness the car was right there. I left my shoes imbedded in the hot tar and lunged backwards into the car heading home quickly in case the tires started to melt. We thought that was uncomfortable... Fortunately the Sony camera I was attempting to use did not burst into flame.
Posted by: kirk tuck | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 06:03 PM
Never talk about religion, politics or the weather. : )
Living on a hill facing Lake Superior most of our weather has been nice (usually it keeps it cooler than inland), but we had a nasty storm with winds up to 100 mph a few weeks ago. Took six days for us to see power. Of course it was hot and humid too. Trees fell all over. On the plus side we got to know our neighbors much better, sharing tools and helping out.
Posted by: John Krumm | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 07:06 PM
Here in the Puget Sound it's turning into a hot August with +90F in a lot of places (well, anyway in Lacey Wa.) Today it "cooled" to only 87F but is predicted to be back up over 90 in a couple of days. I'm heat intolerant so spend most of the summer indoor in front of a fan (no AC) and I'm the guy who looks forward to November through March because that's when I'm 'not hot'. I'm retired and would love to move to Ocean Shores, about 50 miles west of here where when it's 90 here it's 65 there, just perfect.
Posted by: John Robison | Sunday, 14 August 2016 at 09:06 PM
San Diego... need I say more ;-)
When it's 80deg, people say it's HOT, and when it's 55deg, people say it's COLD.
Posted by: ShadZee | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 12:26 AM
The thing I hate about Southern Florida where I live is that the weather is always perfect because I spend way too much time in the house with the A/C on.
Posted by: Akiva S | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 01:59 AM
'Climate's what you expect; weather's what you get.'
Don't worry Mike, it takes about 30 years of weather data to reliably characterize a location's climate. You've got a way to go yet.
Posted by: David | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 02:46 AM
The metro NYC area weather has been just plain awful - reminds me of being in Singapore during the summer. We lucked out last winter as far as snow was concerned - don't assume that they are all like that. Have you been to the Glen yet?
Posted by: Peter | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 09:41 AM
Further south from where I live, people are suffering from historic flooding. My heart goes out to them. But in my area of the South it's been hot and humid as usual but we've been blessed with frequent afternoon thundershowers that moderate the heat. This used to be the norm but for the past two or three decades it has been extremely hot and humid coupled with drought and misery from late June until October. Maybe we're going to see the cycle of wetter, somewhat cooler summers return. I hope so but the lawn that is usually brown by now continues to be green and growing like late May. That means more mowing and yard work. Not my favorite outdoor activity.
Posted by: Dogman | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 09:57 AM
New York State weather is tremendously variable. If you want a lot of snow, head to Oswego or Jamestown for some exciting lake effect snow insanity. If you want cold temps, head over to Saranac Lake. If you want pretty middle-of-the-road weather hunker down in the Finger Lakes. People around here complain about the weather but that's just because they don't know a good thing when they have it. :)
That said, over here in Tompkins County, we're in the middle of a near* record drought. Trumansburg has been the driest place in NY and even made the weather channel (though the weatherperson couldn't pronounce Taughannock correctly.) The weather gods continually taunt us by giving us 5 minutes of rain followed by bright, hot sun to dry up all the rain. (The itsy bitsy spider is reportedly doing fine.)
* I say near record because in 11 years it hasn't been this bad and I don't know for sure if it is a record or not.
Posted by: Matthew | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 10:49 AM
Sheets of rain followed by blankets of snow, bed weather ahead.
Posted by: Herman | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 11:17 AM
@David Lonsdale: (from an occasional NYC visitor) Keep that LX100 in silent mode, and indulge in some street photography. Tourist experience: visit the roof deck at Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center), perhaps before sunset, staying until the city lights come on.
Posted by: Mike R | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 11:44 AM
We had an "El Niño event" this year that was supposed to help bring critically important water to California. While we had more rain this year than the last four, it essentially has not rained since April, and now, well into August, this place is back to turning into a desert. It is incredibly dry here, and it has been quite hot, and many of the trees are changing color already. We still need water desperately.
Posted by: Stephen Scharf | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 11:49 AM
I imagine all states bordering the Great Lakes have the "wait five minutes and it'll change" weather. I remember one day on a beach west of Cleveland when the weather turned fast. I noticed a big, dark cloud formation coming from the _east_ and having a squared-off leading edge. I started gathering my things and rolling up my towels, ready to run to my car if necessary. As soon as the dark edge of the cloud blotted out the sun, people actually gasped. The winds immediately started blowing the sand around, probably at 25 mph. I had to use a towel to keep the sand out of my eyes while running to my car. I still got soaked, but not as badly as the people on the beach who didn't see that big cloud coming.
Posted by: Dave I. | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 11:52 AM
Sarasota, Florida: Hot, hot, hot, humid, humid, humid, wet, wet, wet, mostly sunny in the morning, then clouds, then a downpour, and then partly sunny and a rainbow!
This pattern began around mid-June. It'll continue through September.
I want to spend summers in Colorado--where the air is dry and the sun shines.
Posted by: Bob Rosinsky | Monday, 15 August 2016 at 12:05 PM