CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Happy fall! It has been quite a successful month of September here in the Coastal Bend.
Plenty of warm or hot days but also a pretty decent amount of rain! Those rainy days certainly helped keep our heat index values "more tolerable."
While the city of Corpus Christi is still experiencing low lake levels, we are currently not under a drought.
Here's a quick recap of September rainfall and temperatures - our highest rainfall totals this month were along our coastal communities. Corpus Christi has accumulated a recorded total of 6.47 inches.
Other communities along the coast, as well as inland neighborhoods, surpassed a total of 4 inches.
This would go right in line with how the month of September typically goes, with higher rain totals compared to any other month throughout the year.
As for temperatures, it was not as brutally hot as we were last year. In September 2023, our average high was 97, whereas this past September, temperatures were at an average high of 93.
A lot of the “slightly cooler” days were due to the rain, not too far off from the average high of 90 for September.
WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN OCTOBER
Typically October is more on the “drier” side compared to September. Our average rainfall for a typical month of October in Corpus Christi is 3.13 inches.
Expect an average low of 65 and an average high of 85!
In addition, we will lose approximately 50 minutes of daylight by the end of the month.
Below is a look at what the next few weeks may look like for us according to the Climate Prediction Center. Temperatures are expected to be slightly above normal. As for precipitation, neither is above or below normal.
On average, however, the first “strong cold front” typically arrives in October. So we will cross our fingers for some cooler air to arrive soon!
Our next cold front is expected to arrive early next week, looks to be a weak cold front for now. However, it will still usher in dry air.
OCTOBER TROPICS?
While we are no longer at the very peak of hurricane season (September 10), that does not mean we are free of any potential storms.
However, as the season shifts to October, sea surface temperatures decrease and wind shear increases. Storms typically develop along the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
These storms normally have a northeasterly track as storms are usually impacted by an eastward trough this time of year, sending most storms in October to the 'Sunshine State'.
We will still be very much influenced by tropical moisture this month. Currently there is a disturbance in the NW Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico that is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
The NHC has decreased it's chances of cyclone development to low. Nonetheless, as this system moves further into the Gulf, it will be a contributing factor to the rain we are expected to receive see weekend.