MONTHLY WEATHER/CLIMATE SUMMARY--AUGUST, 1997 FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS TEMPERATURE-- Average mean: 69.7F (departure: minus 0.9 deg.) Average high: 78.0F Average low: 61.4F Month's high: 87F on the 1st, 16th, 17th Month's low: 54F on the 19th PRECIPITATION-- Month's total: 5.61" (departure: plus 1.64") Year's total: 33.73" (departure: plus 5.24") Previous 12 month total (9/96-8/97): 62.12" (departure: plus 18.15") Max. 24 hr. total: 2.05" on 21st-22nd Days with 0.01" or more: 15 Days with 1.00" or more: 2 BAROMETER-- Month's high: 30.21" on the 10th, 11th Month's low: 29.65" on the 21st MISCELLANEOUS-- Days with thunder: 4 Days with fog: 11 Peak wind gust: 34 mph on the 21st Heating degree days: 4, season: 13 Cooling degree days: 149, season: 521 Comments: Very eventful month in Southeastern New England. On the afternoon of August 6 a funnel cloud was sighted over Little Compton, RI. This system moved to the northeast and reportedly a tornado briefly touched down in Westport, MA causing minor tree damage. NWS officials viewed a photograph of the funnel cloud and feel this was an F0 tornado. On August 20 a genuine tornado outbreak occured in the area. Thankfully all confirmed tornados were rated F0 and no injuries were reported. Two confirmed waterspouts occured, one over Cape Cod Bay east of the Sagamore Bridge and another over Buzzards Bay near Bourne. Two other confirmed tornado touchdowns occured in Plymouth. Minor tree damage was reported. Other funnel clouds and/or tornados were sighted in North Plymouth, Plymouth Harbor, South Plymouth, Duxbury Beach, Kingston, Hingham, Middleboro, Bellingham, Attleboro, Fall River, Warwick Neck, RI, N. Smithfield, RI, and Greenwich, RI......Climatologically August was wet and cool at this location. Measureable precip. occured on 15 days during the month. Very stormy on the 21st with heavy rain and gusty winds. Thunder occured on the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 18th. WEATHER/CLIMATE SUMMARY--SUMMER, 1997 FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS Average Mean Temp.: 69.5F (departure: minus 0.4 deg.) Precip.: 11.67" (departure: plus 1.79") Days with high temp. 90F or above: 3 Days with thunder: 10 Regards--Dennis