SPRINGFIELD, Mass (WWLP) — It was a hot and dry August across western Massachusetts. At the Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, this month the average high temperature reached over 83 degrees, and the normal average high for any August is 82 degrees.

A noticeable lack of rain worsened the drought conditions. 

The last update on August 25 still showed severe drought conditions for Hampden County, and moderate drought elsewhere. The next update will be on September 1, which will include the rain we saw Saturday from the remnants of once-hurricane Laura. 

Chicopee saw just over 2.5 inches of rain for the month, when we normally see around 4 inches of rain. 

And we aren’t exactly expected to catch up next month. NOAA’s monthly outlook for September predicts near-normal rainfall which is 3.9 inches in Chicopee. 

Temperatures in September are expected to finish off slightly warmer than the average high temperature of 76 degrees.