| May 2009 climate
report for Tucson |
| |
| May
2009 headlines |
Decade
of 2000s headlines |
| 2nd warmest
on record |
Warmest
May decade on record |
| 9th wettest
on record |
4th driest
May decade on record |
| Spring
2009: 4th warmest on record with below normal rainfall. |
| Spring
decade of 2000s: WARMEST and 2nd driest decade on record. |
| 3rd
warmest January-May period on record |
|
| |
| Tucsonans
will look back on May 2009 and say that it was a very warm one, but
will also remember that an unusually strong springtime storm brought
widespread rain to the area. |
| |
|
The first three
weeks of the month was very warm and put Tucson on track to be one
of the warmest Mays on record. Through the 20th, the monthly average
temperature was 81.4 degrees, which was 8.8 degrees above normal.
However, an unusually strong springtime storm impacted the area
on the 21st and 22nd with widespread rain and much below normal
temperature which likely kept Tucson from recording the warmest
May on record.
|
| |
| The
storm system brought record breaking widespread rain and record cool
high temperatures on the 21st. Metro area rainfall amounts on the
21st ranged from a tenth of an inch to seven-tenths of an inch with
up to an inch in the surrounding mountains. The airport recorded just
over a half an inch /0.53/ which broke the daily record of 0.21"
set in 1920 and ranked as the 6th wettest day in May. The high temperature
of 68 degrees was 24 degrees below normal and easily broke the previous
low high minimum temperature of 72 set in 1975. One would think that
you would have to pretty far back in time to a day in May that the
mercury didn't hit 70. Memories are short since it was only last year
(May 23rd) that the high only hit 69 degrees. |
| |
| More
rain fell on the 22nd, generally less than a quarter of an inch, before
this unseasonably cool storm system finally moved through the area.
The remainder of the month saw daytime temperatures slowly warm to
late May normals. |
| |
| May
2009 goes into the record books as the 2nd warmest on
record with an average monthly temperature of 80.1 degrees.
This is one-tenth of a degree shy of the warmest May on record,
which occurred in 2000 (80.2 degrees). The image on the right
shows the monthly average temperature, computed daily, for 2009
and 2000. You will notice that 2009 was on track for being the
warmest on record until the storm system hit the area on the
21st and 22nd and slow warm-up therafter. In 2000, the last
10 days of the month had highs temperatures in the 94 to 108
degree range while in 2009 the highs in the last 10 days ranged
from 81 to 99 degrees. |
click
image for larger view
|
|
| |
|
The airport hit the century mark for the first time in 2009 on the
7th at 1:53 pm. Temperature extremes for the month ranged from a record
high of 102 degrees on the 8th, 9th ands 18th to a low of 59 degrees
on the 1st. Record high temperatures were set on the 9th (102 degrees,
old record 101 degrees in 2001) and 18th (102 degrees, old record
101 degrees in 1996. |
| |
| Area
rainfall totals for the month, most of it from the storm on the 21st
and 22nd, ranged from a quarter of an inch to three quarters on an
inch, with the surrounding mountains recording up to and inch and
a half /1.50"/. Officially, the International airport recorded
two-thirds of an inch /0.67"/, which ranks as the 9th wettest
(tied with 1979) May on record. |
| |
| May
2009 stats |
Month
|
Normal
|
Departure
|
| Average
high temperature |
94.9°
|
90.4°
|
+
4.5°
|
| Average
low temperature |
65.3°
|
58.6°
|
+
6.7°
|
| Average
temperature |
80.1°
|
74.5°
|
+
5.6°
|
| Number
of 100+ degree highs |
8
|
3
|
+
5
|
| Rainfall |
0.67"
|
0.24"
|
+
0.43"
|
|
| |
| 2009
stats thru May |
Year
|
Normal
|
Departure
|
| Average
high temperature |
79.4°
|
75.7°
|
+
3.7°
|
| Average
low temperature |
50.1°
|
47.0°
|
+
3.1°
|
| Average
temperature |
64.7°
|
61.3°
|
+
3.4°
|
| Number
of 100+ degree highs |
8
|
3
|
+
5
|
| Rainfall |
1.66"
|
3.20"
|
-
1.30"
|
| 2008-09
Water Year rainfall (Oct-May) |
3.65"
|
6.11"
|
-
2.46"
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| The
first five months of 2009 goes into the records books as the 3rd
warmest on record with an average temperature of 64.7 degrees.
The warmest January to May period occurred in 1986 when the average
temperature was 65.2 degrees. The 2008-2009 water year rainfall total
at the airport is currently 2.46 inches below normal. This ranks as
the 35th driest water year to date. |
| |
May decade in review: the 2000s
|
|
The month of
May during the decade of the 2000s will go into the record books
as the warmest and 4th driest decade on record (dating
back to the mid-1890s). The decadal average temperature of 77.9
degrees is a 2.1 degrees warmer than the 1990s. The average decadal
precipitation of 0.18" was a tenth of an inch drier than the
1990s.
|
| Decadal
average temperatures |
| 2000s |
1990s |
1980s |
1970s |
1960s |
1950s |
1940s |
1930s |
1920s |
1910s |
1900s |
| 77.9° |
75.8° |
75.1° |
72.4° |
73.3° |
73.7° |
74.4° |
72.2° |
73.1° |
70.9° |
70.3° |
| Decadal
average precipitation |
| 2000s |
1990s |
1980s |
1970s |
1960s |
1950s |
1940s |
1930s |
1920s |
1910s |
1900s |
| 0.18" |
0.28" |
0.22" |
0.21" |
0.13" |
0.09" |
0.26" |
0.28" |
0.11" |
0.28" |
0.18" |
|
| |
|
2000 (80.2°),
2009 (80.1°) and 2001 (79.3°) are ranked as the 1st,
2nd and 5th warmest May's on
record respectively. No rain was recorded at the International airport
in 2000 and 2002 (0.00").
|
| Year-by-year
statistical recap for Tucson International airport |
| Year |
Avg.
high |
Avg.
Low |
Avg.
Temp |
Precip. |
| 2000 |
96.5° |
63.9° |
80.2° |
0.00" |
| 2001 |
95.3° |
63.2° |
79.3° |
0.24" |
| 2002 |
92.5° |
59.0° |
75.8° |
0.00" |
| 2003 |
93.5° |
62.4° |
77.9° |
0.13" |
| 2004 |
93.2° |
62.3° |
77.7° |
Trace |
| 2005 |
92.2° |
62.5° |
77.4° |
0.63" |
| 2006 |
94.5° |
63.5° |
79.0° |
Trace |
| 2007 |
93.3° |
62.8° |
78.0° |
0.14" |
| 2008 |
88.5° |
58.0° |
73.3° |
0.02" |
| 2009 |
94.9° |
65.3° |
80.1° |
0.67" |
| 2000s
avg. |
93.4° |
62.3° |
77.9° |
0.18" |
| 1971-2000
normal |
90.4° |
58.6° |
74.5° |
0.24" |
| Click
on a year for full climate report previously posted. |
|
| |
|
The first two
graphs below shows the daily departure from normal, or periods of
warm/cold, for each May day from 2000 through 2009. The third graph
is the departure from normal for the monthly average temperatures.
The fourth graph is the departure from normal for the monthly rainfall.
(all years compared against 1971-2000 normals except 2000/2001 which
were compared to 1961-1990 normals).
|
|
[Daily
highs] [Daily
lows] [May
average temperatures] [May
precipitation] |
| Move
your mouse over the locations to change graphics. Click link for larger
view. |
 |
| |
|
Temperature
extremes for the decade ranged from 109 degrees on May 22,
2005 to 49 degrees
on five dates (May 14, 2008; May 2, 2008; May 1, 2004; May 10,
2003; May 3, 2002). Twenty-two record temperatures were set/tied
this past decade (listing below is in chronological order). However,
none of these 22 records were a daily low.
The last record low temperature set at the International airport
during May was back in 1967 (39° on the 2nd).
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Record
type |
Date |
Record |
Previous |
Year(s) |
| High |
May
22, 2000 |
105°
(tied) |
105° |
1989 |
| High |
May
28, 2000 |
107°
(tied) |
107° |
1958 |
| High |
May
9, 2001 |
101°
(tied) |
101° |
1934/1923/1910 |
| High
Minimum |
May
12, 2001 |
72° |
71° |
1984 |
| High |
May
24, 2001 |
104°
(tied) |
104° |
1984/1983 |
| High
Minimum |
May
27, 2001 |
71°
(tied) |
71° |
1951 |
| High |
May
31, 2002 |
107°
(tied) |
107° |
1910 |
| High |
May
17, 2003 |
103° |
102° |
1956 |
| High
Minimum |
May
21, 2003 |
76° |
74° |
1958 |
| High
Minimum |
May
22, 2003 |
71° |
69° |
1967/1942 |
| High
Minimum |
May
28, 2003 |
83° |
74° |
1983/1958 |
| High
Minimum |
May
8, 2004 |
69° |
68° |
1963/1947/1928 |
| High |
May
20, 2005 |
105° |
102° |
1986 |
| High |
May
21, 2005 |
107° |
105° |
1914 |
| High
Minimum |
May
22, 2005 |
71°
(tied) |
71° |
2003 |
| High |
May
22, 2005 |
109° |
105° |
2000/1989 |
| High
Minimum |
May
24, 2005 |
76° |
73° |
1990 |
| High
Minimum |
May
25, 2005 |
73° |
72° |
1964 |
| High |
May
9, 2009 |
102° |
101° |
2001/1934/1923 |
| High
Minimum |
May
17, 2009 |
76° |
73° |
1997 |
| High |
May
18, 2009 |
102° |
101° |
1996/1970/1925 |
| Low
Maximum |
May
21, 2009 |
68° |
72° |
1975 |
|
| |
| Three
rainfall record were set during the 2000s |
| Date |
Record |
Previous
/ Year |
| May 27,
2005 |
0.44" |
0.06"
/ 1992 |
| May 16,
2007 |
0.14" |
0.12"
/ 1989 |
| May 21,
2009 |
0.53" |
0.21"
/ 1920 |
|
| |
Spring season decade in review: the 2000s
|
| The
spring season during the decade of the 2000s will go into the record
books as the WARMEST and 2nd driest decade on record
(dating back to the mid-1890s). The decadal average temperature of
69 degrees is 1.3 degrees warmer than the 1990s. The average decadal
precipitation of 1.00" is just over a third of an inch DRIER
than the 1990s. |
| Decadal
average temperatures |
| 2000s |
1990s |
1980s |
1970s |
1960s |
1950s |
1940s |
1930s |
1920s |
1910s |
1900s |
| 69.0° |
67.7° |
67.4° |
64.7° |
65.3° |
66.1° |
65.9° |
65.3° |
64.4° |
64.2° |
63.3° |
| Decadal
average precipitation |
| 2000s |
1990s |
1980s |
1970s |
1960s |
1950s |
1940s |
1930s |
1920s |
1910s |
1900s |
| 1.00" |
1.37" |
1.48" |
1.19" |
0.92" |
1.21" |
1.18" |
1.15" |
1.51" |
1.25" |
1.61" |
|
|
| 2005-2006
(58.3°) and 2008-2009 (55.5°) are ranked as the 6th and
10th warmest Winter seasons on record respectively. 2005-2006
(0.01") and 1999-2000 (0.29") are ranked as the DRIEST
and 2nd driest Winter seasons on record respectively. |
| Season-by-season
statistical recap for Tucson International airport |
| Year |
Avg.
high |
Avg.
Low |
Avg.
Temp |
Precip. |
| 2000 |
85.3° |
54.2° |
69.8° |
0.93" |
| 2001 |
83.8° |
53.6° |
68.7° |
1.96" |
| 2002 |
84.9° |
52.8° |
68.8° |
0.07" |
| 2003 |
82.5° |
53.2° |
67.8° |
0.68" |
| 2004 |
84.2° |
56.3° |
70.3° |
2.17" |
| 2005 |
82.2° |
54.1° |
68.1° |
1.33" |
| 2006 |
83.2° |
54.3° |
68.7° |
0.41" |
| 2007 |
85.0° |
54.8° |
69.9° |
0.88" |
| 2008 |
83.0° |
52.0° |
67.5° |
0.44" |
| 2009 |
85.0° |
55.2° |
70.1° |
1.14" |
| 2000s
avg. |
83.9° |
54.0° |
69.0° |
1.00" |
| 1971-2000
normal |
81.7° |
51.4° |
66.5° |
1.33" |
| Click
on a year for full climate report previously posted. |
|
| |
| Looking
ahead into June |
| The
Climate Prediction Center
forecasts slightly enhanced probablities of above normal temperatures
and equal chances of above normal, normal or below normal precipitation. |
| |
|
| Normal
high temperature |
100.2° |
| Normal
low temperature |
68.0° |
| Normal
monthly temperature |
84.1° |
| Record
high temperature |
117°
on June 26, 1990 |
| Record
low temperature |
43°
on June 4, 1908 |
| Warmest
June (avg) |
89.2°
in 1994 |
| Coldest
June (avg) |
77.6°
in 1965 |
| Normal
rainfall |
0.24" |
| Wettest
June day |
1.56"
on June 28, 1938 |
| Wettest
June |
2.07"
in 1938 |
| Driest
June |
0.00"
in 2002 (last of 13 occurrences) |
| |
|
|
The number
of daylight hours will increase from 14 hours 8 minutes on
the 1st to 14 hours 14 minutes on the 30th, a gain of 6 minutes.
|
| |
| Looking
ahead into Summer 2009 |
| The
Climate Prediction Center
forecasts significantly enhanced probablities of above normal
temperatures and equal chances of above normal, normal or below
normal precipitation. |
| |
|
| Normal
high temperature |
99.1° |
| Normal
low temperature |
71.3° |
| Normal
seasonal temperature |
85.2° |
| Warmest
Spring (avg) |
89.9°
in 1994 |
| Coldest
Spring (avg) |
81.3°
in 1923 |
| Normal
Spring rainfall |
4.61" |
| Wettest
Spring |
13.06"
in 1955 |
| Driest
Spring |
0.81"
in 1926 |
| |
|
|
Astronomical summer will begin on June 20th at 10:45
pm when the sun reaches the northern most latitude part of the
earth (23.4 degrees north or the Tropic of Cancer). |
|
| |
Glueck
|
www.weather.gov 
