Precipitation to date for August is 28% of normal and 60% of normal for the water year. Most of the rain this month has occurred in the last few days. It remains hot with a majority of days above 90 degrees. Due to a lack of food in the foothills west of Boulder, black bears are now looking for food in the city. One of the bears in my neighborhood has figured out how to open the bear-proof garbage and compost bins. Let's hope he/she doesn't teach the other bears that trick. Conditions remain severely dry.