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Monthly Review August 2021

The month of August was compared to the reference period 1961-1990 at the weather station
Dresden-Klotzsche is 0.7 degrees too cold. With a monthly average of 17.0 °C, he belonged
to the cool August months since 1961 (61 years). It has been since the turn of the century
third coldest August; only in 2005 and 2006 was it cooler in August.
Only 165 hours of sunshine were registered, a minus of 26 hours compared to that
official reference period 1961-1990. The record still holds unreservedly
August 1973 with 281 hours.

The sum of all individual measurements of precipitation reached our measuring point in July
in Coswig 101.0 mm. The monthly total corresponded to 140% of the normal value for
this month. We therefore registered in terms of the total fallen
Rainfall an above-average third summer month. the
exceptional drought situation, based on the total soil up to approx. 1.8 m, has become
weakened in our region - away from the highest now to the second highest level of drought
(according to the drought monitor of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research).

Weather characteristics:
The month of August was mainly characterized by low pressure activity and trough layers
Central Europe, with the supply of often humid and relatively cool sea air masses
were linked. The spatial differences in the monthly totals of precipitation
were quite large, as occurring large-scale rainfall in some areas by showers and
Thunderstorms were intensified. There was one in almost all areas of Germany
Excess precipitation and a deficit of sunshine everywhere.
In the last third of the month, a pronounced omega weather pattern (Fig. 1) determined ours
Weather. Eastern Germany was in the area of a high altitude low, including in our region
some heavy rainfall occurred.

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Fig.1: Omega location (the typical omega shape of the high over Ireland is clearly visible) above
Europe on August 26, 2021 (source: Berlin weather map).

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Fig.2: Satellite image of cloud distribution over Europe on 25 January 2023. The unusually extensive sea of high fog from the eastern Atlantic to Russia stands out clearly in the image. Source: FU Berlin.

Author: Wilfried Küchler

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