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West Kootenay basks in lovely August

Last month was slightly warmer and quite a bit drier than usual, according to statistics from the local weather office.
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Nelson residents enjoyed plenty of beautiful August days and evenings.

Last month was slightly warmer and quite a bit drier than usual, according to statistics from the local weather office.

Forecaster Ron Lakeman at the Southeast Fire Centre in Castlegar says the average monthly temperature was 1.7 degrees above normal while the total rainfall was 60 per cent of a typical August.

The warmest temperature was 34.1 degrees on the afternoon of the 14th and the coolest temperature was 8.4 on the 22nd. Neither came close to the all-time marks of 40 and 2.5 degrees, set in 1967 and 1992, respectively.

Despite the fact it was drier overall, the only record during the month was the 13.8 millimetres of rain that fell on the 4th, the most for that date.

"A slow moving upper low pressure provided variable cloud, occasional thunderstorms and a few showers during the initial five days of the month," Lakeman said. "Except for the thundershowers during the afternoon of the 4th which produced a rapid 13.6 millimetres of rain, the showers were relatively minor."

Lakeman said a few weaker disturbances clipped the area with limited showers and thunderstorms, otherwise high pressure dominated, giving us dry, sunny, and warm conditions the rest of the month.