June 2012 Data and May Pictures

Obtained from National Weather Service

May was another record-breaking month. It was the 7^th warmest May on record with an average temperature of 79.0°F (26.1°C) which was 3.0°F (1.7°C) above normal. There were seven days above 100°F (37.8°C), including two days of 105°F (40.6°C) which historically occurs on June 12^th. There was no measurable rainfall at either the airport or my location.

A rare haboob, an intense dust storm, hit Tucson on May 7^th.


 

Saguaro with fruit

Ocotillo

White-winged Dove enjoying saguaro fruit

Prickly Pear

April 2012 Data and May Pictures

Palo Verde in Bloom

Blossoms

April was quite warm. It was the 10^th warmest on record. It marked the second earliest recording of the first 100°F (37.8°C) day on April 22^nd. This data goes back to 1892 and the earliest date was on April 19, 1989.

The average temperature for April was 69.8°F (21.0°C), which was 2.8°F (1.6°C) above normal. The average high temperature was 3.4°F (1.9°C) above the normal of 82.1°F (27.8°C). This corresponds to April 2012 marking the most days with highs of 90°F (32.2°C) or greater since April of 1989.

Precipitation was once again lacking at 0.12” (3.05 mm) recorded at the airport compared to the normal of 0.31” (7.87 mm). My location was close to normal at 0.30” (7.62 mm).

Prickly Pear Blossoms

Ocotillo

Cholla Blossoms

 

March 2012 Data and April Picture

Flower Buds on Prickly Pear

In March the average high temperature was 2.5°F (1.4°C) higher than normal. The average low temperature was 1.7°F (0.9°C) below normal. These discrepancies were balanced out to give an average temperature of 60.6°F  (15.9°C), compared to the normal average of 60.1°F (15.6°C). Rainfall fell short of average again with only 0.34” (8.64 mm), compared to the normal of 0.73” (18.54 mm). My location received a little more rain with 0.55” (13.97 mm).

 

The first three months of 2012 experienced the 11^th warmest average temperature of 57.3°F (14.1°C). This was 1.2°F (0.6°C) above normal. It was also the 9^th driest January through March for the airport location that officially records rainfall for Tucson. Rainfall varied across the metropolitan area. 

Saguaro

Buds on Cholla

February 2012 Data and March 2012 Pictures

February 14, 2012 marked the 100^th year of Arizona statehood. It also provided us with a few moments of an unusual snowfall at our school. February temperatures were close to average in Tucson. The average high was 69.9°F (21.1°C) compared to the normal of 68.5°F (20.3°C). Average lows were 41.3°F (5.2°C) compared to the normal of 42.2°F (5.7°C). Rainfall was sparse with 0.08 inches (2.03mm) recorded at airport and a little more 0.21 inches (5.33mm) at my house.

	Feb 2012	Normals	Deviation
Average High Temperature (°F)	69.9	68.5	1.4
Average Low Temperature (°F)	41.3	42.2	-0.9
Average Temperature (°F)	55.6	55.3	0.3
Number of 100° + highs	0	0	0
Rainfall (in) official	0.08	0.94	-0.86
Rainfall (in) at location	0.21
	Feb 2012	Normals	Deviation
Average High Temperature (°C)	21.1	20.3	0.8
Average Low Temperature (°C)	5.2	5.7	-0.5
Average Temperature (°C)	13.1	12.9	0.2
Number of 100° + highs	0	0	0
Rainfall (mm) official	2.03	23.88	-21.84
Rainfall (mm) at location	5.33

January 2012 Data & February 2012 Pictures

Ocotillo 5th Feb 2012

Prickly Pear 5th Feb 2012

January 2012 was the 4^th warmest on record and 24^th driest on record. The average high temperature was 70.0°F  (21.1°C) compared to the average high of 

65.5 °F  (18.6°C). The average low was 41.1°F  (39.8°C). The official rainfall was 0.14 inches (3.56 mm). At my house I measured 0.39 inches (9.91 mm).

Saguaro 5 Feb 2012

	Jan 2012	Normals	Deviation
Average High Temperature (°F)	70.0	65.5	4.5
Average Low Temperature (°F)	41.1	39.8	1.3
Average Temperature (°F)	55.6	52.6	3.0
Number of 100° + highs	0	0	0
Rainfall (in) official	0.14	0.94	-0.80
Rainfall (in) at location	0.39
	Jan 2012	Normals	Deviation
Average High Temperature (°C)	21.1	18.6	2.5
Average Low Temperature (°C)	5.1	4.3	0.7
Average Temperature (°C)	13.1	11.4	1.7
Number of 100° + highs	0	0	0
Rainfall (mm) official	3.56	23.88	-20.32
Rainfall (mm) at location	9.91

 Jan 2012

Normals

Deviation

Average High Temperature (°F)

70.0

65.5

4.5

Average Low Temperature (°F)

41.1

39.8

1.3

Average Temperature (°F)

55.6

52.6

3.0

Number of 100° + highs

0

0

0

Rainfall (in) official

0.14

0.94

-0.80

Rainfall (in) at location

0.39

Jan 2012

Normals

Deviation

Average High Temperature (°C)

21.1

18.6

2.5

Average Low Temperature (°C)

5.1

4.3

0.7

Average Temperature (°C)

13.1

11.4

1.7

Number of 100° + highs

0

0

0

Rainfall (mm) official

3.56

23.88

-20.32

Rainfall (mm) at location

9.91

2011 Weather Summary

According to the National Weather Service in Tucson, AZ 

"2011 will be remembered for its weather extremes starting with a record low temperature on New Year's Day to a record cold snap in February, to enduring through record dry conditions during the 1st half of the year thanks to a strong La Niña, to one of the hottest summers on record, to a so-so monsoon until late September to a stormy, wet and cool November and December."

The following graphs show the deviations from normal  for daily high and low temperatures in Tucson.

 

January 2012 Pictures and December 2011 Data

Prickly Pear

December in Tucson was colder and wetter than normal.  Below normal temperatures occurred for the majority of the month. At the end of the month highs were above normal for a few days going into the new year. The average high temperature was 60.4 F (15.8 C) which is -4.4 F (-2.4 C) below normal. The average low temperature was 37.4 F (3.0 C). This is -1.7 F (-0.9 C) below normal. This made it the 20th coldest December on record that tied with a record in 1897.

A few different rain storms brought a total of 2.03" (51.56 mm) of rain to the official weather service site at the airport. At my location we received 2.20" (55.88 mm) of rain. In one day we received 1.24" (31.50mm) at my site. I have never received so much rain before and was thankful my rain gauge had an overflow basin. We were also grateful that none of our saguaros fell over in the rain. The last time we received 1.0" of rain in a day we lost a gigantic saguaro in our yard. See pictures below of downed saguaro from January 2010.

Healthy Saguaro after lots of rain

	Dec 2011	Normals	Deviation
Average High Temperature (°F)	60.4	64.8	-4.4
Average Low Temperature (°F)	37.4	39.1	-1.7
Average Temperature (°F)	48.9	51.9	-3.0
Number of 100° + highs	0	0	0
Rainfall (in) official	2.03	0.93	1.10
Rainfall (in) at location	2.20
	Dec 2011	Normals	Deviation
Average High Temperature (°C)	15.8	18.2	-2.4
Average Low Temperature (°C)	3.0	3.9	-0.9
Average Temperature (°C)	9.4	11.1	-1.7
Number of 100° + highs	0	0	0
Rainfall (mm) official	51.56	23.62	27.94
Rainfall (mm) at location	55.88

Fallen Saguaro 1-2010 Another view of saguaro 1-2010

Ocotillo Minus Leaves