September returned closer to normal for the fourth week of the month, with the average temperature dropping half a degree and a bit of precipitation to change the pace of the previous two rain-free weeks.
There was 13 millimetres of rain in the past week, bringing the monthly total to 37 mm, which is about half of normal. With two sunny days forecast for what remains of September, the month will officially be a dry one.
The temperature for September will end well above average despite the dip of the last week. The average temperature for the first four weeks of the month now stands at 17.8 degrees Celsius as compared to the average the week before of 18.3 C. The average for the entire month is 16.2 C, so September 2024 will be the second or third warmest since weather records started to be collected on the farm in Ormstown 58 years ago. Both daytime highs and nighttime lows were well above average for the majority of days in the month.
The corn heat unit (CHU) accumulation followed the above-average temperatures, adding on another 148 CHU to reach 583 CHU for the first four weeks of the month. This compares favourably against the prorated normal for the same period of 559 CHU, so the total will exceed the normal for the entire month without problem. The total for the season starting on May 19 is now at 3211 CHU, and for those who managed to plant corn in the first half of May, the accumulated total will be closer to 3400 CHU, which is very good.
October is forecast to be seasonal, with daytime highs in the mid to high teens with some rain and showers spread out across the month. No sign of a killing frost until the end of the month.