ORLANDO, Fla. — This year’s rainy season has over-performed beginning with an early start in May. In August, the weather changed a bit.

Melbourne experienced its eighth driest and second warmest August on record. August is typically Melbourne’s wettest month of the year. Normal rainfall during the month is 7.68 inches.

Melbourne only picked up 2.17 inches of rain, which is about 5.5 inches drier than average. So since there was less rain, Melbourne’s temperatures finished warmer than average.

When you combine the daily high and low temperatures for the month, the average monthly temperature came in more than 2.5 degrees warmer than average. This makes Aug. 2018 the second warmest on record.

The first warmest August on record was just 2017. Records for the Melbourne area go back to 1937.

Daytona Beach’s temperatures finished close to normal. Aug. 2018 finished with an average daily temperature of 82.0 degrees, while normal is 81.5 degrees.

Rainfall was slightly above the average of 6.40 inches. Daytona Beach picked up 6.71 inches in August. August is typically Daytona Beach’s second wettest month.

Orlando’s temperatures finished right at the average while rain was slightly below average.

Normal rainfall for Orlando in August is 7.13 inches. Orlando International Airport picked up 6.72 inches. That’s 0.41 inches drier than average. August is Orlando’s third wettest month of the year.

Rain totals since the start of 2018 compared to normal through early September:

Melbourne

  • 2018: 31.83 inches
  • Normal: 34.64 inches

Daytona Beach

  • 2018: 49.18 inches
  • Normal: 33.86 inches

Orlando

  • 2018: 39.09 inches
  • Normal: 37.26 inches