arizona climate summary · arizona climate summary ... by the 19th the high pressure system pushed...

1

Arizona Climate Summary October 2015

Summary of conditions for September 2015

September 2015 Temperature and Precipitation Summary

September 1

st – 18

th: September began with high pressure over southern New Mexico, bringing more moisture into

Arizona. Rain fell somewhere in Arizona every day through the 15th

. During this time the heaviest rain day was

September 1 when 1.06” fell at Davis Monthan AFB, and 0.76” fell at Tucson. Over the next week the high pressure

moved around eastern New Mexico and western Texas, continuing to bring moisture into Arizona and New Mexico.

Rain showers were isolated but not heavy, covering the eastern 2/3 of the state. Daily amounts over this period included

0.40” at Alpine on the 2nd

, 0.45” at Nogales on the 3rd

, 0.66” at Winslow on the 4th

, 0.42” at Flagstaff on the 5th, 0.80”

at Cottonwood on the 6th, 0.56” at Nogales, 0.43” at St. Johns on the 7th, and 0.80” at Coronado National Monument on

the 8th

. Temperatures during this period were on the low 100s in southern and western Arizonan, low 80s and upper 70s

in northern Arizona and low to mid70s at the higher elevations. By the 9th

, the high pressure had moved over northern

Mexico, bringing moisture to western Arizona. Yuma reported 0.86” on the 9th

, Sonora Desert Museum had 0.13” on the

10th

, and Elgin had 0.22”’ on the 11th

. By the 12th

, the high pressure settled over Arizona, and Payson received 0.18”,

and Nogales had 0.92” on the 13th

. By the 14th

, the high pressure had moved off the Baja California coast and a strong

low pressure system swept into the state on the 14th

and 15th

and Youngtown had 0.60” and Phoenix had 0.32” on the

14th

. Also on the 14th

heavy rain in southern Utah caused flash flooding in Zion National Park, Hildale, UT and

Colorado City, AZ, killing 18 people with several others missing. Seligman had 0.93” on the 15th

. On the 16th

only 0.01”

of rain was reported in the state and no rain fell on the 17th

or 18th

as high pressure remained centered over northern

Mexico.

September 19th

– 30th

: By the 19th

the high pressure system pushed more tropical moisture into the state bringing

heavier rainfall to the southeast counties. Elgin had 1.01” and Bisbee had 0.43” on the 19th

. On the 21st, Douglas had

1.22”, Alpine had 1.15”, Tucson had 1.04”, Davis Monthan AFB had 1.02”, and Nogales had 1.89”. On the 22nd

, Davis

Monthan had another 0.76”, Tucson had another 0.47”, and Alpine had another 0.80”. On the 23rd

, the moisture had

moved into central Arizona and Scottsdale Airport had 1.45”, east Mesa had 0.96”, and Phoenix Airport had 0.41”. That

was the end of the monsoon activity as the high pressure moved over Arizona on the 24th

and remained there through the

end of the month, ending the southerly flow of moisture into the state. No more rain was reported in the state from the

24th

through the end of September.

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.

In This Issue: Overview of September, graphs of the September daily maximum and minimum temperatures,

precipitation, mean daily dew points for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson; September climate statistics, maps of mean

monthly maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, dew points, wind speeds for September; and graphs of the

mean September 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.21 of this report for calendar abbreviations. Dr. Nancy J. Selover, State Climatologist

http://azclimate.asu.edu 480-965-6265

Edited by Nancy J. Selover

© 2015 Arizona State Climate Office

2

September 2015 Daily Temperature, Precipitation, & Dew Point for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson

3

Monsoon:

Overall the monsoon was wetter than average in northern, southern, and eastern Arizona, and drier than normal in

western Arizona, southeastern California and western Maricopa County. The NOAA tables below show monsoon totals

for selected cities in Arizona and southeastern California. For more monsoon statistics for cities in Arizona, visit the

Tucson NWS Monsoon website: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/monsoon/monsoon.php

the Flagstaff NWS Monsoon Summary webpage:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/media/fgz/FXC/files/Monsoon2015.pdf

and the Phoenix NWS Monsoon Summary webpage:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/pns/2015/September/monsoon/monsoon_review.php

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/twc/monsoon/monsoon.php

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/media/fgz/FXC/files/Monsoon2015.pdf

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/pns/2015/September/monsoon/monsoon_review.php

5

FLAGSTAFF CLIMATE STATISTICS

September 2015

This September was tied for 11warmest with 1948,

and had no significant ranking for precipitation.

Avg Max Temp (F) 75.3 Normal 73.4

Avg Min Temp (F) 45.4 Normal 41.8

Avg Mean Temp (F) 60.3 Normal 57.4

Departure from Normal (F) +2.9

Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 62.1 in 1947

Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 52.3 in 1912

Highest Temp this month (F): 82 on 11th

Lowest Temp this month (F): 37 on 19th

Record High (F): 91 on 9/1,2,3/1948

Record Low (F): 20 on 9/22/1912

Temperature or precipitation records this month:

15th

HiMin 53 set, previous record 52 in 1997

Flagstaff Number of Days of:

Minimum Temp 50oF or higher 4

Minimum Temp 50oF or lower 6

Maximum Temp 80oF or higher 3

Maximum Temp 70oF or lower 4

Heating Degree Days 131 Normal 230

Cooling Degree Days 0 Normal 3

Degree base 65oF

Total September Precipitation 1.25”

Normal September Precipitation 2.38”

Departure from normal -1.13”

Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.53” on 4-5th

Total Precipitation Year-to-Date 19.67”

Departure from Normal +3.10”

Number of Days:

Clear 22

Partly Cloudy 8

Cloudy 0

Greatest September Precipitation 6.75” in 1983

Least September Precipitation 0.00” in 1955, 1957,

1973, 1992

Average Wind Speed 5.4 mph

Highest Peak Gust 369mph from 220o on 16

th

6

PHOENIX CLIMATE STATISTICS

September 2015

This September was tied with 2008 as the 12th

warmest and had no significant ranking for

precipitation.

Avg Max Temp(F) 100.3 Normal 99.8

Avg Min Temp(F) 76.4 Normal 76.9

Avg Mean Temp (F) 89.9 Normal 88.4



Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 79.9 in 1900, 1912


Lowest Temp this month (F): 72 on 23rd

Record High (F): 113 on 9/05/1945

Record Low (F): 47 on 9/20-21/1965, 9/22/1895

Temperature or precipitation records this month:

22nd

Precip 0.41” tied, first set in 1987

25th

HiMin 82 set, first set in 1982

26th

HiMin 82 set, first set in 2010

Phoenix Number of Days of:





Heating Degree Days 0 Normal 0

Cooling Degree Days 752 Normal 700

Degree base 65oF



Departure from normal +0.17”

Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.41” 9/22



Number of Days:

Clear 11

Partly Cloudy 16

Cloudy 3

Greatest September Precipitation 5.41 in 1939

Least September Precipitation 0.00” in 1973,

1968, and 1988 and 13 other years.


Highest Peak Gust 57 mph from 200o on 14

th

TUCSON CLIMATE STATISTICS

September 2015

This September was tied for 19th

warmest with 1995

and 2014 and had no significant ranking for

precipitation.

Avg Max Temp(F) 93.9 Normal 94.5

Avg Min Temp(F) 71.7 Normal 68.6

Avg Mean Temp(F) 82.8 Normal 81.6



Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 76.3 in 1964


Lowest Temp this month (F): 68 on 22nd

, 23rd

, 29th

Record High (F): 107 on 09/14/2000, 9/11-11/1990,

Record Low (F): 43 on 098/26/1913

No temperature or precipitation records this month

Tucson Number of Days of:







Departure from normal +1.11”

Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 1.04” on 21-22



7

Greatest September Precipitation 5.60” in 2011

Least September Precipitation 0.00” in 1898,

1953, 1957, 19598, 1968.

Number of Days:

Clear 23

Partly Cloudy 3

Cloudy 0


Highest Peak Gust 49 mph from 280o on 22

nd

Data are from the National Weather Service and the

National Climatic Data Center and are preliminary.

8

Wind Speeds for May:

Day Phoenix Flagstaff Tucson

(mph) Avg Max Avg Max Avg Max

1 4.9 15 5.2 22 6.3 25

2 5.8 26 6.3 26 7.1 32

3 9.2 45 9.9 29 9.3 36

4 7.3 23 5.3 26 6.7 22

5 8.5 23 6.9 22 5.7 17

6 5 18 4.2 20 4.8 24

7 5.1 18 2.4 25 6.5 17

8 6.9 29 3.4 20 6.6 23

9 6.4 23 3.1 21 4.7 19

10 8.1 24 5.2 23 2.7 16

11 5.8 19 3.4 21 4 16

12 5.8 23 4.1 20 6.9 25

13 7.4 34 6.9 35 7.6 43

14 6.9 57 7.9 34 7.2 26

15 6.5 19 15.1 39 8.6 35

16 8.2 21 14.6 39 6.3 24

17 4.7 20 8.3 32 5.3 25

18 4.4 19 3.8 21 6.4 20

19 6.4 26 5.1 28 10.5 36

20 6.8 24 2.7 18 11.3 M

21 7.6 30 4 16 5.8 25

22 6.6 50 2.8 18 4.7 49

23 3.3 13 3.1 21 4.7 14

24 4.6 15 4.6 23 5.3 18

25 9.3 26 4.2 26 11.1 31

26 7.3 24 3.5 22 10.4 26

27 5.2 15 4.4 31 6.2 16

28 5.4 16 3.9 23 6.1 20

29 4.5 16 3.4 22 5.5 16

30 5.2 17 4.8 23 7.5 20

Dew Points for May:

Daily Average Dew Point (oF):

Day Phx Tuc Flg

1 59 62 50

2 58 62 45

3 60 61 48

4 65 65 52

5 61 63 52

6 61 62 51

7 58 61 50

8 63 59 46

9 62 64 48

10 62 62 38

11 60 60 44

12 57 58 37

13 63 58 48

14 62 60 50

15 61 61 49

16 55 60 43

17 51 55 39

18 45 52 36

19 54 55 36

20 64 63 36

21 62 64 44

22 62 64 44

23 60 62 41

24 55 55 36

25 53 52 38

26 50 49 37

27 52 51 40

28 53 49 42

29 52 49 41

30 51 46 40

9

The

10

The lowest minimum temperatures ranged from 22oF at Grand Canyon East Entrance to 78

oF at Yucca. The lowest maximum temperature of 68

oF was

recorded at Snowslide Canyon, while the highest maximum temperature of 113oF was reported at Yuma. The lowest rainfall amount was 0.00” at several

stations in Arizona and the highest were 5.86” at Vail and 5.80” at Tubac. The lowest average dew point was 34oF at Window Rock and the highest was 68

oF

at Yuma. The highest peak wind gust was 51 mph at Yuma.

11

T

September 2015

The highest average minimum temperature was 80oF at Yuma and the lowest average minimum temperature was 40

oF at Sunset Crater. The highest average

maximum temperature was 106oF at Bullhead City and lowest average maximum temperature was 62

oF at Snowslide Canyon.

13

September

September minimum temperatures were 0 to 6oF warmer than average across northern Arizona, while a few locations in southern Arizona had slightly cooler

than average temperatures. Daytime temperatures were 0 to 3oF warmer than average across northern Arizona. Southern Arizona was 0 to 3

oF cooler than

average due to increased thunderstorm activity in southern and southeastern Arizona. The cold bullseye in southern Gila County is an error, likely due to a

recent change in the sensor location. September precipitation was concentrated in southern Arizona, with one very strong storm in southern Utah causing

flash flooding on the Arizona Strip that swept away two vehicles and killed 12 people in Hildale, UT and Colorado City,AZ

15

Calendar Year 2015

Calendar year minimum temperatures have been generally 0 to 4oF warmer than average across most of the state, with the warmest conditions in central Gila

County. Daytime temperatures were also about 0 to 3oF warmer than average across northern Arizona, and only slightly warmer than average across the

southeastern counties. Cooler than normal areas include western Pinal County. Precipitation has been much above normal across the Colorado Plateau as

well as across the southeast. Parts of Mohave, Maricopa, Yavapai, Gila and Yuma counties have been drier than average so far this year.

17

2015 Water Year

The water year ended with minimum temperatures 1 to 4oF warmer than average across the northern 2/3 of the state and as much as 2

oF warmer than average

in the southeast. Daytime temperatures have been 1.5 to 3oF warmer than average across northern Arizona and the western counties. Southeastern Arizona

has been 0.5 to 2oF warmer than normal, with cool pockets in western Maricopa and Pinal Counties. The cool bullseye is due to a recent sensor move in Gila

County. Precipitation has been well below average in Maricopa, Yavapai, Mohave, and Yuma counties. The Colorado Plateau has received 120 to 200% of

normal precipitation, and southern Arizona is also wetter than average. The Mogollon Rim, however, did not have a wet year..

18

September Mean Temperature Graphs – Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson 1895-2015:

19

September Mean Precipitation Graphs – Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson 1895-2015:

20

2015 Cumulative Precipitation Graphs – Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson:

Flagstaff is 3.10” wetter than normal, Tucson is 1.34” wetter than normal and Phoenix is 0.06” wetter than normal.

21

The downloadable normals and extremes calendars use the following abbreviations:

NORM = 30 year (1971-2000) 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)

arizona climate summary · arizona climate summary ... by the 19th the high pressure system pushed...

Documents