Arizona Climate Summary March 2016 Summary of conditions for February 2016

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1 February 2016 Temperature and Precipitation Summary Arizona Climate Summary March 2016 Summary of conditions for February 2016 February 1 st 16 th : A strong low pressure system swept through Arizona on the last day of January and exited the state on February 2 nd. Widespread rain and snow fell across the state from this storm, including 9.2 of snow at Bellemont, 10.2 at Flagstaff, 17.5 at the Grand Canyon north rim, 7 at Williams, and 2 at Show Low. Rainfall totals included 0.51 at Kingman, 0.18 at Phoenix, 0.23 at Deer Valley, 0.40 at Prescott, 0.31 at St. Johns, 0.39 at Scottsdale, 0.34 at Window Rock, 0.38 at Winslow, 0.54 at Carefree, 0.63" at Pinnacle Peak, and 0.80 at Douglas. After the cold front passed through colder air moved into the southwest, dropping daytime temperatures in the southwest deserts into the upper 60s and nighttime lows at the higher elevations into negative values. On the 3 rd, Bellemont had a nighttime temperature of -21 o F. By the 5 th, high pressure returned and temperatures began to climb as humidity dropped. By the 8 th, high temperatures reached the upper 80s in the southwest deserts and the 50s at the higher elevations. Nighttime temperatures hit the 50s in the lower deserts and the teens at the higher elevations. The high pressure ridge remained over the state through the 16 th, when high temperatures peaked at 92 o F at Organ Pipe National Monument. February 17 th 29 th : On the 17 th a strong low pressure system moved down the California coast, coming onshore on the 18 th, bringing widespread precipitation to California. The system continued to drop rain and snow in California on the 19 th, but dissipated before it had the chance to move into Arizona. After two days of zonal flow with warm dry weather, a back door cold front moved down over the Great Plains, but precipitation was only recorded at Window Rock. The rest of the state only noted a 5 degree drop in temperatures on the 23 rd. The ridge re-established itself on the 24 th and remained in place through the end of the month. On the 27 th a weak shortwave moved through, dropping temperatures slightly but the southwest deserts remained in the upper 80s and lower 90s the last week of the month, and high temperature records were set in many areas of the state during the last two weeks of February. In This Issue: Overview of February, graphs of the February daily maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, mean daily dew points for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson; February climate statistics, maps of mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, dew points, wind speeds for February; and graphs of the mean February temperature and precipitation for the period of record for Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff, graphs of the cumulative precipitation for the calendar year for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson. Climate calendars for Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, Winslow and Yuma, including daily and monthly normals and extremes, for each month of the year, can be downloaded directly from the State Climate website. See p.19 of this report for calendar abbreviations. Data are preliminary and are from the National Weather Service Forecast Offices in Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson. **Note: The discrepancy between the Statewide Temperature and Precipitation values for Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson and the daily values in their graphs are due to the reporting times. Statewide Temperature and Precipitation values are taken at 5pm, while official daily records at the airports are taken from Midnight to Midnight. Dr. Nancy J. Selover, State Climatologist Edited by Nancy J. Selover & Kira Frost 2016 Arizona State Climate Office 1

2 February 2016 Daily Temperature, Precipitation, & Dew Point for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson 2

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4 FLAGSTAFF CLIMATE STATISTICS February 2016 This February had no significant temperature or precipitation ranking. Avg Max Temp (F) 53.5 Normal 44.8 Avg Min Temp (F) 19.0 Normal 19.3 Avg Mean Temp (F) 36.3 Normal 4.2 Departure from Normal (F) +4.2 Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 39.7 in 2015 Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 19.5 in 1939 Highest Temp this month (F): 65 on 16 th Lowest Temp this month (F): -9 on 3 rd Record High (F): 71 on 02/26/1986 Record Low (F): -23 on 02/01/1985 Temperature or precipitation records this month: 12 th HiMax 64 set, previous record 62 in st HiMax 63 set, previous record 60 in th HiMax 63 set, previous record 59 in 2008 Maximum Temp 60 o F or higher 13 Maximum Temp 32 o F or lower 2 Heating Degree Days 828 Normal -95 Cooling Degree Days 0 Normal 0 Degree base 65 o F Total February Precipitation 0.37 Normal February Precipitation 2.16 Departure from normal Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.87 on 31 st -1 st Total Precipitation Year-to-Date 3.78 Departure from Normal Number of Days: Clear 28 Partly Cloudy 0 Cloudy 1 Greatest February Precipitation in 1993 Least February Precipitation 0.00 in 1967 Flagstaff Number of Days of: Minimum Temp 25 o F or higher 6 Minimum Temp 10 o F or lower 5 Average Wind Speed Highest Peak Gust 6.0 mph 46 mph from 220 o on 1 st PHOENIX CLIMATE STATISTICS February 2016 This February was the warmest on record for temperature but had no significant precipitation records. Avg Max Temp(F) 79.9 Normal 70.7 Avg Min Temp(F) 51.6 Normal 48.7 Avg Mean Temp (F) 65.7 Normal 59.7 Departure from Normal (F) +6.0 o F Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 66.0 in 1991 Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 48.5 in 1939 Highest Temp this month (F): 90 on 17 th Lowest Temp this month (F): 34 on 3 rd Record High (F): Record Low (F): 92 on 02/27/1986&02/25/ on 02/08/1933&02/07/ Temperature or precipitation records this month: 9 th HiMax 86 set, previous record 85 in th HiMin 59 set, previous record 58 in th HiMax 85 set, previous record 83 in th HiMax 87 set, previous record 84 in th HiMax 87 set, previous record 84 in th HiMax 90 set, previous record 88 in th HiMin 59 set, previous record 58 in st HiMax 86 tied, first set in th HiMax 88 set, previous record 84 in th HiMin 59 set, previous record 57 in 1988 Phoenix Number of Days of: Minimum Temp 40 o F or lower 4 Minimum Temp 55 o F or higher 12

5 Maximum Temp 60 o F or lower 3 Maximum Temp 85 o F or higher 16 Heating Degree Days 86 Normal 163 Cooling Degree Days 113 Normal 98 Degree base 65 o F Total February Precipitation 0.00 Normal February Precipitation 0.92 Departure from normal Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation st Total Precipitation Year-to-Date 1.31 Departure from Normal Greatest February Precipitation 4.64 in 1905 Least February Precipitation 0.00 in 20016, 2014, 2006, 1967 and 10 others Number of Days: Clear 24 Partly Cloudy 5 Cloudy 0 Average Wind Speed 5.7 mph Highest Peak Gust 43 mph from 260 o on 2 nd TUCSON CLIMATE STATISTICS February 2016 This February was the 3 rd warmest on record, with no significant precipitation records. Avg Max Temp(F) 78.0 Normal 68.5 Avg Min Temp(F) 44.2 Normal 42.2 Avg Mean Temp(F) 61.1 Normal 55.3 Departure from Normal (F) +5.8 Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 62.1 in 2015 Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 48.9 in 1903 Highest Temp this month (F): 90 on 17 th Lowest Temp this month (F): 28 on 3 rd Record High (F): 92 on 02/14/1957 Record Low (F): 17 on 02/07/1899 Temperature or precipitation records this month: 8 th HiMax 81 tied, first set in th HiMax 85 set, previous record 84 in th HiMax 87 set, previous record 86 in th HiMax 87 set, previous record 85 in th HiMax 90 set, previous record 86 in th HiMin 58 set, previous record 55 in st HiMax 82 tied, first set in 1999 Heating Degree Days 142 Normal 273 Cooling Degree Days 13 Normal Degree base 65 o F Total February Precipitation 0.18 Normal February Precipitation 0.86 Departure from normal Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.18 on 1 st Total Precipitation Year-to-Date 1.71 Departure from Normal Greatest February Precipitation 4.15 in 1905 Least February Precipitation 0.00 in 1984, 1902, 1903 and 7 others Number of Days: Clear 27 Partly Cloudy 1 Cloudy 0 Average Wind Speed Highest Peak Gust 7.2 mph 46 mph from 250 o on 1 st Data are from the National Weather Service and the National Climatic Data Center and are preliminary. Tucson Number of Days of: Minimum Temp 32 o F or lower 3 Minimum Temp 50 o F or higher 5 Maximum Temp 60 o F or lower 3 Maximum Temp 85 o F or higher 7 5

6 Wind Speeds for February: Day Phoenix Flagstaff Tucson (mph) Avg Max Avg Max Avg Max Dew Points for February: Daily Average Dew Point ( o F): Day Phx Tuc Flg

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8 The minimum temperatures ranged from -19 o F at Mormon Lake to 46 o F at Chandler. The lowest maximum temperature of 46 o F was recorded at Flagstaff, while the highest maximum temperature was 93 o F at Paloma and Yuma Proving Ground. The highest rainfall amounts were 1.90 at Promontory and 1.80 at White Horse Lake. The lowest average dew point was 0 o F at Window Rock and the highest was 36 o F at Yuma and Paloma. The highest peak wind gust was 47 mph at Aguila. Average wind speeds range from 2 mph at Phoenix Greenway to 16 mph at Laughlin-Bullhead City Airport. 8

9 T February 2016 The highest average minimum temperature was 64 o F at Chandler and the lowest average minimum temperature was -3 o F at Flagstaff 4 SW. The highest average maximum temperature was 85 o F at Yuma and lowest average maximum temperature was 38 o F at Flagstaff 4 SW. 9

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11 February February minimum temperatures ranged from 4 degrees F cooler to 8 degrees F warmer than normal across the state. The western border and central Arizona were the warmest locations while western Coconino County, Graham and Cochise counties and the White Mountains were the coolest locations. Daytime temperatures were 4 to 12 o F warmer than normal statewide. Only one significant winter storm crossed the state in February and it did not bring much cold air to the region. February precipitation was non-existent in much of the state (less than 25% of normal), particularly in the southern half of Arizona and southern Mohave, western Yavapai and western Coconino County. 11

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13 Calendar Year 2016 Calendar year minimum temperatures varied from 4 o F warmer to 4 o F colder than normal across Arizona. Daytime temperatures were 1 to 5 o F warmer than average statewide. This is a reversal of January which was colder than normal across the state. The above normal precipitation by the end of January has become well below normal precipitation by the end of February. Most areas have had less than 70% of their normal precipitation. A small area of central Arizona is near average on the calendar year. 13

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15 2016 Water Year The Water Year minimum temperatures are within 2 degrees of normal across most of the state with highest departures above normal on the Colorado Plateau and along the lower Colorado River Valley, and the greatest departures below normal in southern Arizona. The warmest area is southern Mohave County and the coolest is western Pima County. Daytime temperatures are also within 2 o F of normal with the cooler than normal areas in southern Navajo, eastern Gila, and western Pinal counties. Precipitation is well above normal on the Colorado Plateau, in eastern Coconino and central Navajo counties, as well as in central Pinal and eastern Pima counties. Western Pinal and most of Maricopa and western Coconino counties are much drier than normal, (less than 70%). The El Niño conditions are continuing in the central Pacific Ocean, but the circulation pattern has not been bringing the moisture to the southwest in February. The ridge has blocked storm systems. Early next week conditions are expected to change to cooler and wetter, but it s not clear if that will be a short-lived change or if March will be a wet month. 15

16 February Mean Temperature Graphs Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson : 16

17 February Mean Precipitation Graphs Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson

18 2016 Cumulative Precipitation Graphs Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson: Flagstaff and Tucson are near their average values, but Phoenix is about 0.56 below average for the end of February. 18

19 The downloadable normals and extremes calendars use the following abbreviations: NORM = 30 year ( ) average value (degrees Fahrenheit (F)) OBS = The temperature observation for that day this year AVG = Average daily temperature HI MAX = Highest maximum temperature for that day (F) LO MAX = Lowest maximum temperature for that day (F) LO MIN = Lowest minimum temperature for that day (F) HI MIN = Highest minimum temperature for that day (F) Mx PCP = Maximum precipitation for that day (inches) Mx SNO = Maximum snowfall for that day (inches) 19