Why the late-August heat beats the deadly alternatives America has seen

By John Roach, AccuWeather staff writer

Much of the United States is experiencing either high temperatures, uncomfortable humidity – or both. But the end of August has brought much worse to the country over the last 15 years.

Hurricanes Katrina (Aug. 25, 2005), Isaac (Aug. 28, 2012) and Harvey (Aug. 25, 2017) all reached landfall at the end of August, costing American lives and billions in damages.

The forecast for late August 2019 is much more benign. AccuWeather meteorologists say there are no organized tropical features across the Atlantic basin that are a threat to land through at least Monday of next week, even though it is the most favorable time of the year for tropical development in the area.

Heat, however, is having an impact as a significant number of U.S. cities have experienced above-normal temperatures this summer. Consequently, estimated costs for cooling from May 1 through Aug. 20 compared to normal cooling costs are higher in those places, according to an AccuWeather analysis.

Boston (33.7% higher), Norfolk, Virginia (30.7%), Atlanta (27.5%) and Washington, D.C. (25.9%), have experienced substantially higher estimated cooling costs compared to normal.

Atlanta, as AccuWeather predicted before summer, is having an above-normal year, with temperatures hitting at least 90 degrees 58 times as of August 20, which is well above its 15-year average of 41 for the entire year. (AccuWeather predicted 60 such days.) Washington, D.C., has had 49 days of temperatures of at least 90 degrees, with its 15-year average being 41 for the year.

Others with higher-than-normal temperatures and the resulting elevated estimated costs for cooling include Philadelphia (22%), Cincinnati (21.5%), Gainesville, Florida (20.6%), Birmingham, Alabama (18.3%), and Indianapolis (18.1%).

The West can expect more heat next week, as temperatures are expected to soar west of the Rockies all the way to the West Coast, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Temperatures in the West are expected to average anywhere from 6 to 16 degrees above late-August normal through next week.

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There are some locations around the country not enduring such a hot summer. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has had 69 days of temperatures at 90 degrees or higher, though, the area has averaged 113 over the last 15 years. The area’s estimated cooling costs are 21% lower than 2018.

Other places with temperatures lower than normal – and therefore lower estimated cooling costs – include Oklahoma City (11% below normal) and Little Rock, Arkansas (6% below normal and 14.9% lower than 2018).

And in St. Louis, there has yet to be a 100-degree day; this would be the first year since 2009 without such a day and just the fourth time in 20 years. There were 7, 100-degree days in 2017 and 21 in 2012.

The cooling season, which typically begins May 1, can last until late in the year in many U.S. cities. The costs of cooling, including electricity, vary from year to year and from place to place, so the percentage change in your bill may vary from these percentages.

Download the free AccuWeather app to see the forecast for your location. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.