...MAY AND SPRING SEASON HIGHLIGHTS...
...DRIEST COMBINED FALL/WINTER/SPRING SEASONS ON RECORD...
...EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE...
...LIGHTNING SPARKS WILDFIRE IN THE CATALINAS...
...6TH WARMEST MAY ON RECORD...
...MAGICAL FIRST CENTURY HIGH OCCURS ON THE 21ST...
...13TH WARMEST AND 19TH DRIEST SPRING ON RECORD...
...3RD DRIEST AND 7TH WARMEST START TO A CALENDAR YEAR...

THE DROUGHT OF 2005-2006...NINE MONTHS STRONG...CONTINUED DURING MAY
WITH LITTLE TO NO MEASURABLE RAIN BEING RECORDED ACROSS THE METRO
AREA. THIS PROLONGED DRY SPELL...WITH ONLY 0.78" BEING RECORDED AT
THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...HAS PRODUCED THE DRIEST COMBINED
FALL/WINTER/SPRING SEASONS ON RECORD. THIS DROUGHT HAS ALSO PRODUCED
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA WHICH BECAME
APPARENT ON MAY 23RD WHEN A LIGHTNING STRIKE STARTED A WILDFIRE NEAR
CATALINA STATE PARK. THIS FIRE...CALLED THE ROMERO WILDFIRE...BURNED
ABOUT 860 ACRES AND WAS FULLY CONTAINED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

MAY STARTED OFF AS APRIL ENDED WITH ABOVE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES
AND OCCASIONAL AFTERNOON BREEZINESS. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVED
THROUGH THE STATE BETWEEN THE 5TH AND 7TH...RESULTING IN BREEZY TO
WINDY CONDITIONS ALONG WITH COOLER HIGH TEMPERATURES. BY THE
9TH...HIGH PRESSURE BEGAN TO BUILD OVER THE AREA AND HIGH
TEMPERATURES STARTED TO FLIRT WITH THE MAGICAL CENTURY MARK. THE
HIGH TEMPERATURE EACH DAY FROM THE THE 11TH TO THE 16TH WAS EITHER
98 OR 99 DEGREES. DURING THE STRETCH OF NEAR 100 DEGREE WEATHER...A
BIT OF MOISTURE MOVED IN FROM NEW MEXICO AND COMBINED WITH THE HEAT
DEVELOPED ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. RAINFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE METRO
AREA WERE LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH. THE MERCURY MADE TWO MORE
RUNS AT THE CENTURY MARK ON THE 19TH AND 20TH WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES
BOTH DAYS BEING 99 DEGREES. BEFORE THE AIRPORT RECORDED ITS FIRST
CENTURY HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE YEAR...THE MERCURY HIT 99 DEGREES
FOUR TIMES...WHICH IS THE MOST OCCURRENCES BEFORE HITTING 100 DEGREES
SINCE 1959 WHEN THE MERCURY HIT 99 DEGREES SEVEN TIMES BEFORE HITTING
100 DEGREES FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE SANTA CRUZ ICE OFFICIALLY BROKE
AT 3:24 PM MST ON MAY 21ST WITH THE FIRST 100 DEGREE READING OF THE
YEAR. THE AVERAGE FIRST 100 DEGREE DAY DATE IS MAY 26TH. THE NEXT
DAY A COLD FRONT PUSHED THROUGH THE AREA WITH THE AIRPORT ONLY
RECORDING A HIGH OF 87 DEGREES. THE REMAINDER OF THE MONTH HAD THE
MERCURY ON A ROLLER COASTER RIDE BETWEEN 90 AND 100 DEGREES.

OFFICIALLY...MAY 2005 WILL GO INTO THE RECORD BOOKS AS THE 6TH
WARMEST (TIED WITH 1996) ON RECORD WITH AN AVERAGE MONTHLY
TEMPERATURES OF 79.0 DEGREES...WHICH IS 4.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
TEMPERATURE EXTREMES FOR THE MONTH RANGED FROM A HIGH OF 100 DEGREES
ON THE 21ST AND 25TH TO A LOW OF 56 DEGREES ON THE 6TH.

TOP 10 WARMEST MAYS ON RECORD...
1) 80.2 IN 2000         6) 79.0 IN 2006 **
2) 79.9 IN 1984            79.0 IN 1996
3) 79.7 IN 1997         8) 78.3 IN 1934
4) 79.3 IN 2001         9) 78.1 IN 1993
5) 79.1 IN 1958        10) 77.9 IN 2003

...MAY 2006 STATS...           MONTH     NORMAL     DEPARTURE
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE        94.5      90.4        + 4.1
AVERAGE LOW  TEMPERATURE        63.5      58.6        + 4.9
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE             79.0      74.5        + 4.5
NUMBER OF 100+ DEGREE HIGHS       2         3         -  1
RAINFALL                       TRACE      0.24"      - 0.24"

THE BRIEF MOISTURE INTRUSION DURING MID-MAY RESULTED IN LITTLE TO
NO MEASURABLE RAIN ACROSS THE VALLEY FLOOR OF THE METRO AREA. SOME
SPOTS IN THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS RECORDED UP TO A QUARTER OF AN
INCH. OFFICIALLY THE TUCSN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RECORDED A TRACE
(17TH) OF RAIN. THIS MARKS THE 46TH MAY ON RECORD WITH NO MEASURABLE
RAIN BEING RECORDED.

*** BELOW IS A LISTING OF DRY PERIODS ON RECORD. ***

DRIEST SEPTEMBER THRU MAY PERIOD ON RECORD...
1) 0.78"   2005-2006 **
2) 1.95"   1973-1974
3) 2.19"   1999-2000
4) 2.23"   1924-1925
5) 2.35"   2001-2002

THIS ALSO RANKS AS THE DRIEST ANY NINE MONTH PERIOD ON RECORD...

TOP 5 DRIEST ANY NINE MONTH PERIOD...
1) 0.78"  SEP. 2005 TO MAY  2006 **
2) 1.66"  NOV. 1901 TO JULY 1902
3) 1.87"  OCT. 1903 TO JUNE 1904
4) 1.95"  SEP. 1973 TO MAY  1974
5) 1.96"  OCT. 1973 TO JUNE 1974

THE 2005-2006 WATER YEAR GOES INTO THE RECORD BOOKS AS THE DRIEST
TO DATE (OCT. 1 - MAY 31) ON RECORD...

1) 0.73"   2005-2006 **
2) 1.22"   1999-2000
3) 1.69"   1903-1904
4) 1.95"   1973-1974
5) 2.02"   2001-2002

ADDITIONALLY...THE ABOVE NEW RECORD EIGHT MONTH TOTAL RANKS AS THE
DRIEST EIGHT MONTH PERIOD ON RECORD (PREVIOUSLY SET LAST MONTH)...

TOP 5 DRIEST ANY EIGHT MONTH PERIOD...
1) 0.73"   OCT. 2005 TO MAY  2006 **
2) 0.78"   SEP. 2005 TO APR. 2006 **
3) 1.22"   OCT. 1999 TO MAY  2000
4) 1.24"   NOV. 1901 TO JUNE 1902
5) 1.33"   NOV. 2001 TO JUNE 2002

THE LAST THREE SEVEN MONTH PERIODS ARE NOW RANKED IN THE TOP 5.

TOP 5 DRIEST ANY SEVEN MONTH PERIOD...
1) 0.32"   DEC. 1958 TO JUNE 1959
2) 0.42"   NOV. 2005 TO MAY  2006 **
3) 0.73"   OCT. 2005 TO APR. 2006 **
4) 0.78"   JAN. 1895 TO JULY 1895
5) 0.79"   SEP. 2005 TO MAR. 2006 **

ANY 6-MONTH LOW PRECIPITATION TOTALS
 1) 0.22" FEB. 1895 - JUL. 1895
 2) 0.32" JAN. 1959 - JUN. 1959
    0.32" DEC. 1958 - MAY  1959
 4) 0.38" SEP. 2005 - FEB  2006 **
 5) 0.42" DEC. 2005 - MAY  2006 **
    0.42" NOV. 2005 - APR. 2006 **

THE 2006 SPRING SEASON (MARCH THROUGH MAY) WAS THE 13TH WARMEST ON
RECORD (TIED WITH 2002/1954)...WITH AN AVERAGE SPRING TEMPERATURE OF
68.8 DEGREES.

...SPRING 2006 STATS...        SEASON    NORMAL     DEPARTURE
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE        83.2      81.7        + 1.5
AVERAGE LOW  TEMPERATURE        54.3      51.4        + 2.9
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE             68.8      66.6        + 2.2
RAINFALL                        0.41"     1.33"      - 0.82"

THE 2005-2006 WATER YEAR (OCTOBER THROUGH MAY) IS EXTREMELY DRY WITH
JUST UNDER EIGHT-TENTHS /0.73"/ OF AN INCH BEING RECORDED AT THE
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS RANKS AS THE DRIEST WATER YEAR TO DATE ON
RECORD.

WATER YEAR (OCT-MAY) RAINFALL TOTALS SINCE 1994 (NORMAL IS 6.11")...
2005-2006 .....  0.73"     1999-2000 .....  1.22"
2004-2005 .....  5.72"     1998-1999 .....  2.71"
2003-2004 .....  4.99"     1997-1998 .....  9.15"
2002-2003 .....  3.15"     1996-1997 .....  4.46"
2001-2002 .....  2.02"     1995-1996 .....  2.58"
2000-2001 ..... 10.01"     1994-1995 ..... 10.00"

...2006 STATS THRU MAY...       YEAR     NORMAL     DEPARTURE
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE        78.5      75.7        + 2.8
AVERAGE LOW  TEMPERATURE        49.2      47.0        + 2.2
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE             63.9      61.3        + 2.6
NUMBER OF 100+ DEGREE HIGHS       2         3         -  1
RAINFALL                        0.41"     3.20"      - 2.79"
WATER YEAR RAINFALL (OCT-MAY)   0.73"     6.11"      - 5.38"

THE AVERAGE YEARLY TEMPERATURE THROUGH MAY 31ST OF 63.9 DEGREES RANKS
AS THE 7TH WARMEST START TO A CALENDAR YEAR. THE YEAR-TO-DATE RECORD
IS 65.2 DEGREES FROM 1986. THE AVERAGE YEARLY LOW TEMPERATURE THROUGH
MAY 31ST OF 49.2 DEGREES RANKS AS THE 9TH WARMEST ON RECORD. THE
YEAR-TO-DATE RECORD IS 50.4 DEGREES FROM 2005. RAINFALL FOR 2006
THROUGH MAY 31ST OF 0.41 INCHES RANKS AS THE 3RD DRIEST START TO A
CALENDAR YEAR ON RECORD. THE YEAR-TO-DATE RECORD IS 0.25 INCHES FROM
1972.

TEMPERATURES DURING THE 2005-2006 DROUGHT HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY WARM
WITH MANY TOP 10 RANKINGS. BELOW IS A LISTING.

4TH WARMEST APRIL-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD... 73.9 DEGREES
    RECORD 75.6 DEGREES SET IN 1989
9TH WARMEST FEBRUARY-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD... 66.3 DEGREES
    RECORD 67.1 DEGREES SET IN 1996/1934
7TH WARMEST JANUARY-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD... 63.9 DEGREES
    RECORD 65.2 DEGREES SET IN 1986
5TH WARMEST DECEMBER-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD... 62.3 DEGREES
    RECORD 63.1 DEGREES SET IN 1985-86
4TH WARMEST NOVEMBER-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD... 62.3 DEGREES
    RECORD 62.6 DEGREES SET IN 1999-2000 AND 1995-96
4TH WARMEST OCTOBER-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD... 63.7 DEGREES
    RECORD 64.1 DEGREES SET IN 1999-2000
2ND WARMEST SEPT-MAY (TIED '95-'96) PERIOD ON RECORD...65.9 DEGREES
    RECORD 66.1 DEGREES SET IN 1999-2000
WARMEST JUNE-MAY PERIOD ON RECORD ... 71.1 DEGREES
    TIED WITH 1995-1996

THE ABOVE 12 MONTH PERIOD ALSO RANKS AS THE 13TH WARMEST (TIED) OF
ANY 12 MONTH PERIOD ON RECORD.

1)  71.6 FEBRUARY 1989 TO JANUARY 1990
2)  71.5 OCTOBER 1988 TO SEPTEMBER 1989
3)  71.4 AUGUST 1995 TO JULY 1996
    71.4 JULY 1995 TO JUNE 1996
    71.4 JANUARY - DECEMBER 1989
6)  71.3 OCTOBER 1999 TO SEPTEMBER 2000
    71.3 SEPTEMBER 1995 TO AUGUST 1996
    71.3 MARCH 1994 TO FEBRUARY 1995
    71.3 OCTOBER 1993 TO SEPTEMBER 1994
    71.3 DECEMBER 1988 TO NOVEMBER 1989
11) 71.2 APRIL 1994 TO MARCH 1995
    71.2 MARCH 1989 TO FEBRUARY 1990
13) 71.1 JUNE 2005 TO MAY 2006 ***
    71.1 JUNE 1995 TO MAY 19966
    71.1 SEPTEMBER 1999 TO AUGUST 2000
    71.1 AUGUST 1999 TO JULY 2000
    71.1 NOVEMBER 1993 TO OCTOBER 1994
    71.1 SEPTEMBER 1993 TO AUGUST 1994
    71.1 NOVEMBER 1988 TO OCTOBER 1989
    71.1 SEPTEMBER 1988 TO AUGUST 1989
    71.1 AUGUST 1988 TO JULY 1989

...LOOKING AHEAD INTO JUNE AND THE SUMMER SEASON...
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER FORECASTS THAT THE MONTH OF JUNE WILL
HAVE ENHANCED PROBABILITIES FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND EQUAL
CHANCES FOR EITHER ABOVE NORMAL...NORMAL...OR BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL.
THE FORECAST FOR SUMMER 2006 (JUNE THROUGH AUGUST) CALLS FOR ENHANCED
PROBABILITIES FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND EQUAL CHANCES FOR
EITHER ABOVE NORMAL...NORMAL...OR BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL.

JUNE NORMALS AND RECORDS...
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE .........100.2 DEGREES
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE .......... 68.0 DEGREES
AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE ...... 84.1 DEGREES
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE .......... 117 DEGREES ON JUNE 26 1990
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE ...........  43 DEGREES ON JUNE  4 1908
WARMEST JUNE (AVG) ............... 89.2 DEGREES IN 1994
COLDEST JUNE (AVG) ............... 77.6 DEGREES IN 1965
NORMAL RAINFALL .................. 0.24 INCHES
WETTEST JUNE DAY ................. 1.56 INCHES ON JUNE 28 1938
WETTEST JUNE...................... 2.07 INCHES IN 1938
DRIEST JUNE ...................... 0.00 INCHES IN 2002
                                        (LAST OF 13 OCCURRENCES)

SUMMER SEASON NORMALS AND RECORDS (JUNE THRU AUGUST)...
NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE ......... 99.1 DEGREES
NORMAL LOW TEMPERATURE .......... 71.3 DEGREES
NORMAL SEASONAL TEMPERATURE ..... 85.2 DEGREES
WARMEST SUMMER (AVG) ............ 89.9 DEGREES IN 1994
COLDEST SUMMER (AVG) ............ 81.3 DEGREES IN 1923
NORMAL SUMMER RAINFALL ..........  4.61 INCHES
WETTEST SUMMER .................. 13.06 INCHES IN 1955
DRIEST SUMMER ...................  0.81 INCH   IN 1926

THE NUMBER OF DAYLIGHT HOURS WILL INCREASE FROM 14 HOURS 7 MINUTES ON
THE FIRST TO 14 HOURS 14 MINUTES ON THE 30TH...A GAIN OF 7 MINUTES.
SUMMER WILL BEGIN ON JUNE 21ST AT 5:26 AM WHEN THE SUN REACHES THE
NORTHERN MOST LATITUDE PART OF THE EARTH (23.4 DEGREES NORTH OR THE
TROPIC OF CANCER).

GLUECK