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Arizona Climate Summary April 2019

Summary of conditions for March 2019

March 2019 Temperature and Precipitation Summary March 1st – 15th: March started with high pressure, clear skies and dry conditions, ahead of a strong low pressure system. The 1st was dry but rain and snow fell across northern Arizona on the 2nd and 3rd. Amounts were small, and temperatures remained near average as the system moved through quickly. High pressure returned on the 4th and 5th ahead of yet another storm system. On the 6th, the tail end of a low pressure system moved across northern Arizona, dropping 0.80” of rain on Bellemont and smaller amounts were reported at Grand Canyon, Page, Flagstaff and Kingman. The 7th was dry statewide, and another weak storm crossed the northern counties on the 8th and 9th, with 0.58” of rain on the 8th at Flagstaff and 0.03” on the 9th at Pioneer. The 10th was again dry across the state. On the 11th a very strong low pressure system moved into the southwest and dropped rain and snow statewide through the 14th. Snow totals included 11.5” at Flagstaff, 5.0” at Alpine, 10.0” at Bellemont, 1.7” at the Grand Canyon North Rim, 1.0” at Petrified Forest, 1.0” at Springerville, 4.0” at Show Low, 6.0” at Williams, 0.4” at Payson, 1.0” at Canyon de Chelly, and 2.0” at Navajo National Monument. The 15th was again clear statewide. March 16th – 31st: A weak system moved quickly across the state on the 16th and 17th, but less than 0.10” fell either day. The 18th was dry again, but the 19th through the 23rd brought an unsettled pattern to the southwest with isolated, light rainfall to central and northern Arizona. The heaviest rainfall was 0.44” at Williams on the 22nd. Temperatures throughout the month alternated between warmer than average and colder than average as high and low pressure alternated. High pressure moved in on the 24th and remained through the end of the month. It seems the wet winter has transitioned to a dry spring. In This Issue: Overview of March, graphs of the March daily maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, mean daily dew points for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson; March climate statistics, maps of mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, dew points, wind speeds for March; short-term drought maps for the beginning and end of March 2019; Long-term Drought Map through March and graphs of the mean March 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. 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 http://azclimate.asu.edu 480-965-0580 Edited by Nancy J. Selover © 2019 Arizona State Climate Office

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March 2019 Daily Temperature, Precipitation, & Dew Point for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson

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FLAGSTAFF CLIMATE STATISTICS March 2019

This March had no significant ranking for temperature or precipitation. Avg Max Temp(F) 49.7 Normal 50.4 Avg Min Temp(F) 25.2 Normal 23.6 Avg Mean Temp(F) 37.5 Normal 37.0 Departure from Normal (F) +0.5 Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 44.9 in 1934 Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 26.8 in 1979 Highest Temp this month (F): 63 on 25th Lowest Temp this month (F): 7 on 14th Record High (F): 73 on 3/17/2007, 3/26/1988, 3/31/1966 Record Low (F): -16 on 3/04/1966 No temperature and precipitation records this month. Flagstaff Number of Days of: Minimum Temp 30oF or higher 6 Minimum Temp 20oF or lower 3 Maximum Temp 60oF or higher 3 Maximum Temp 40oF or lower 5

Heating Degree Days 847 Normal 868 Cooling Degree Days 0 Normal 0 Degree base 65oF Total March Precipitation 2.59” Normal March Precipitation 2.12” Departure from normal +0.47” Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.70” on 12th Total Precipitation Year-to-Date 11.49” Departure from Normal +5.16” Total March Snowfall 13.5” Normal 20.7” Record March Snowfall 79.4” in 1991 Number of Days: Clear 17 Partly Cloudy 12 Cloudy 2 Greatest March Precipitation 6.75” in 1970 Least March Precipitation: Trace in 1972 Average Wind Speed 8.8 mph Highest Peak Gust 47 mph from 200o on 8th

PHOENIX CLIMATE STATISTICS

March 2019 This March had no significant ranking for temperature or precipitation. Avg Max Temp(F) 76.8 Normal 76.9 Avg Min Temp(F) 54.4 Normal 53.5 Avg Mean Temp (F) 65.6 Normal 65.2 Departure from Normal (F) +0.4 Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 72.3 in 2004 Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 54.3 in 1897 Highest Temp this month (F) 87 on 25th, 26th Lowest Temp this month (F): 44 on 14th Record High (F): 100 on 3/26/1988 Record Low (F): 25 on 3/04/1966

No temperature or precipitation records this month. Phoenix Number of Days of: Minimum Temp 50oF or lower 6 Minimum Temp 60oF or higher 3 Maximum Temp 70oF or lower 8 Maximum Temp 80oF or higher 13 Heating Degree Days 59 Normal 81 Cooling Degree Days 86 Normal 87 Degree base 65oF Total March Precipitation 0.30” Normal March Precipitation 0.99” Departure from normal -0.69” Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.23” on 12th

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Greatest March Precipitation 4.82” in 1941 Least March Precipitation 0.00” in 2008, 2016, 1984 and 10 other years. Precipitation since January 1st 2.83” Departure from Normal +0.01”

Number of Days: Clear 10 Partly Cloudy 18 Cloudy 3 Average Wind Speed 6.5 mph Highest Peak Gust 43 mph from 270o on 13th

TUCSON CLIMATE STATISTICS

March 2019 This March had no significant ranking for temperature or precipitation. Avg Max Temp(F) 75.7 Normal 74.1 Avg Min Temp(F) 47.8 Normal 46.2 Avg Mean Temp(F) 61.7 Normal 60.1 Departure from Normal (F) +1.6 Highest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 67.9 in 2017 Lowest Monthly Avg Temp (F) 51.5 in 1973 Highest Temp this month (F): 87 on 26th Lowest Temp this month (F): 35 on 15th Record High (F): 99 on 3/26/1988 Record Low (F): 20 on 3/04/1965 Temperature or precipitation records this month. 7th HiMin 58 set, previous record 57 in 2006 Tucson Number of Days of: Minimum Temp 40oF or lower 3 Minimum Temp 60oF or higher 1 Maximum Temp 60oF or lower 2 Maximum Temp 85oF or higher 5

Heating Degree Days 122 Normal 179 Cooling Degree Days 29 Normal 29 Degree base 65oF Total March Precipitation 0.62” Normal March Precipitation 0.73” Departure from normal -0.11” Greatest 24-Hr Precipitation 0.62”on 12th Total Precipitation Year-to-Date 3.74”

Departure from Normal +1.21” Greatest March Precipitation 3.88” in 1905 Least March Precipitation 0.00” in 1984, 1956, 1933 and 5 other years. Number of Days: Clear M Partly Cloudy M Cloudy M Average Wind Speed 7.7 mph Highest Peak Gust 39 mph on 8,11,15,16th Data are from the National Weather Service and the National Climatic Data Center and are preliminary.

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Wind Speeds for March: Day Phoenix Flagstaff Tucson (mph) Avg Max Avg Max Avg Max 1 6 15 10.1 31 6.7 24 2 7.4 22 12.9 30 6.1 29 3 4.5 19 11.4 38 6.2 24 4 4.9 16 5 21 5.3 23 5 3.5 12 5.8 25 6.8 23 6 7.8 20 15.4 42 8 27 7 4.6 19 18 35 8.4 30 8 11.8 34 19.1 47 9.1 39 9 5.2 15 7.6 26 6.1 18 10 6.2 27 9.3 35 9 36 11 6.2 25 5.1 22 12 39 12 7.3 27 8.5 30 7.3 29 13 16.3 43 13.4 37 12.3 38 14 5.4 18 10.4 29 5.4 22 15 8.1 27 16.2 37 11.5 39 16 12.1 30 9.3 29 14.5 39 17 6.6 27 3 20 10.7 35 18 4.4 18 3.2 23 7.7 27 19 6.6 17 2.8 18 8.5 23 20 9.6 27 6.9 33 8.9 30 21 5.9 24 11.7 44 6 26 22 4.2 17 5.3 24 5.3 33 23 4.8 19 6.7 28 5.8 23 24 6 17 6.6 25 7.2 22 25 4.2 16 3.8 19 5.9 17 26 3.5 14 5.7 29 6.2 19 27 4.5 14 7.4 26 6.1 21 28 6.7 23 11.5 34 7 25 29 7.2 24 6.3 30 7.1 30 30 5.5 19 7.6 24 5.4 19 31 5.2 18 6.8 26 7.3 26

Dew Points for March: Daily Average Dew Point (oF): Day Flg Phx Tuc 1 48 37 34 2 47 42 33 3 45 39 32 4 41 34 28 5 39 32 30 6 36 29 25 7 37 31 31 8 35 24 22 9 32 29 17 10 38 34 25 11 47 42 30 12 43 38 27 13 33 30 21 14 28 28 16 15 30 29 21 16 37 34 22 17 41 36 23 18 40 36 25 19 39 35 27 20 39 36 27 21 35 29 26 22 37 29 24 23 38 29 22 24 33 29 21 25 34 31 21 26 36 32 22 27 35 29 21 28 31 25 18 29 25 23 15 30 23 20 15 31 20 15 12

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March 2019 The minimum temperatures ranged from -5oF at Sunrise Mountain to 45oF at Laughlin-Bullhead City. The lowest maximum temperature of 51oF was recorded at Bright Angel Ranger Station and the highest was 91oF at Tucson and Yuma. The highest rainfall totals were 8.76” at Mt. Lemmon Willow

Canyon and 5.50” at Mt. Lemmon Fire Department. The lowest average dew point was 22oF at St. Johns and the highest was 41oF at Mohave and Roll. The highest peak wind gust was 42 mph at Safford. Average wind speeds ranged from 3 mph in the Phoenix area and Payson to 13 mph at Pioneer and Show Low

Airports.

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March 2019 The lowest average minimum temperature was 20oF at Sunrise Mountain and the highest was 54oF at Yuma and Phoenix Airport. The highest average

maximum temperature was 81oF at Yuma and the lowest average maximum temperature was 42oF at Snowslide Canyon.

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Short-term Drought

Continued precipitation in March led to further improvement in the short-term drought conditions across the state. Most of central and southern Arizona are now drought-free. Severe Drought (D2 has been removed from the state and Moderate Drought (D1) has been reduced to 4.6% of the state. Currently only

17.77% of the state is in some level of drought compared to 37.76% last month.

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The long-term drought map for March shows hydrologic drought, and it is based on precipitation and evaporation using the Standardized Precipitation Evaporative Index (SPEI) and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) over the past 24-, 36-, and 48-months. This depiction is for water resources, not short-term drought (rangeland conditions). Though much of Coconino, northern Mohave County, and southeastern Arizona show up as abnormally dry or no drought, there continue to be water resource issues, such as wells going dry. Exceptional Drought (D4) has disappeared in the northeast and only continues in the lower Gila River basin. Extreme Drought (D3) continues in northeastern, southwestern and east central Arizona. Many basins are already seeing some improvement in streamflow, but the snowmelt/runoff will determine how much of the long-term drought has been reduced. Groundwater levels also continue to be low. While this winter is significantly wetter than last winter, it will take several consecutive years of above average precipitation to overcome the deficits of the long-term drought.

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March 2019

Minimum temperatures were 2-6oF warmer than average across the northeastern third of the state, 0-2oF warmer in central Arizona and 0-2oF cooler in south central Arizona. Daytime temperatures were 0 to 2oF colder than average across western Arizona and 0 to 3oF warmer across eastern Arizona. March

precipitation was 25-90% of average across western and central Arizona, and 100-300% of average in eastern Arizona.

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Calendar Year 2019

Minimum temperatures were 0-3oF warmer than average in northeastern Arizona. The rest of the state has been 0-3oF cooler than average. Daytime temperatures were 0 to 4oF colder than average across the entire state. Precipitation has been 100-300% of average across most of the state since January 1st.

Exceptions are Yuma, Graham and Greenlee counties, and central Apache County which have been drier than average through the end of March.

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2019 Water Year Nighttime temperatures have been 2oF cooler to 3oF warmer than average across most of the state since October 1st, with the warmest conditions in the

northeast. Daytime temperatures were 0 to 3oF cooler than average across much of the state with the coldest conditions in central Arizona. Precipitation has been 100-300% of average across the state with the exception of Graham and Greenlee counties.

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March Mean Temperature Graphs – Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson 1895-2019:

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March Precipitation Graphs – Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson 1895-2019

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2019 Cumulative Precipitation Graphs – Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson: Flagstaff was 5.16” above normal, Phoenix was 0.01” above normal, and Tucson was 1.21” above normal.

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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)