There has been a little relief from the hot and dry weather - 0.16 inches of rain this week and one day of the daily average temperature below normal.  August was the hottest month on record in Albuquerque.  This station received 0.63 inches of rain which was well below the NOAA August normal of 1.74 inches. The soil is dry and dusty. Energy use and electric bills are high. Field flowers are few. There are no crickets or moths. The Sandia Mountains are dry and dusty with little plant and grass growth. Water flow in the Rio Grande River in Albuquerque is near zero, except for this weekend due to a brief upstream water release. Our water supply is adequate but with mandatory watering restrictions in place.