State Precipitation &
Temperature Update for
Conditions through December 2008
Precipitation
is monitored for the state of
Here, precipitation
percentile values for the most recent month, along with previous 3-, 6-, 12-,
24-, 36-, and 48-month total are shown for each watershed. Low percentile values (brown shading) indicate
dry conditions while high values (green shading) indicate wet conditions. For
example, a precipitation total that falls at the 100th percentile
means that it is the highest precipitation total for the 1971-present period.
Temperature is monitored for the state of
Here, temperature
percentile values for the most recent month, along with previous 3-, 6-, 12-,
24-, 36-, and 48-month averages are shown for each climate division. Low percentile values (blue shading) indicate
cool conditions while high values (orange/red shading) indicate hot conditions.
For example, a temperature that falls at the 100th percentile means
that it is the highest average temperature for the 1895-present period.
The maps of the seven
periods for precipitation and temperature are shown below, with tables of the
percentile values and descriptive text following the maps. Current update is 01/24/2009. The data are preliminary.
Precipitation Percentiles by Watershed (through
December 2008)
Temperature Percentiles by Climate
Division (through December 2008)
SHORT TERM CONDITIONS: 1-6 MONTHS
December was very wet
in the northern two thirds of the state, above the 75th percentile. Precipitation was near average in the
southern watersheds, and slightly above average on the upper Gila and San Simon. Precipitation fell on 19 days in December,
with snow on 14 of those days, as a series of winter storms moved across the
state. The storms dropped temperatures
in the state to near or below average everywhere except on the Colorado
Plateau. The three-month period of October
through December has also been wetter than average for the northern half of the
state. The upper and lower Gila, San
Simon, and San Pedro watersheds had near average precipitation, while the
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
63.16 |
CD1 |
29.82 |
|
97.37 |
CD2 |
62.72 |
Little |
86.84 |
CD3 |
28.95 |
Verde |
86.49 |
CD4 |
26.32 |
Bill
Williams |
89.47 |
CD5 |
52.63 |
|
84.21 |
CD6 |
47.37 |
|
76.32 |
CD7 |
51.32 |
Salt |
89.47 |
|
|
|
84.21 |
|
|
|
65.79 |
|
|
|
57.89 |
|
|
San Pedro |
58.33 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
52.63 |
|
|
San Simon |
73.68 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
55.26 |
|
DECEMBER 2008: percentiles of precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
37.84 |
CD1 |
80.53 |
|
84.21 |
CD2 |
88.60 |
Little |
60.53 |
CD3 |
72.81 |
Verde |
72.97 |
CD4 |
67.98 |
Bill
Williams |
78.95 |
CD5 |
71.93 |
|
73.68 |
CD6 |
81.58 |
|
55.26 |
CD7 |
82.46 |
Salt |
86.84 |
|
|
|
81.58 |
|
|
|
44.74 |
|
|
|
18.42 |
|
|
San Pedro |
44.44 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
24.32 |
|
|
San Simon |
42.11 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
28.95 |
|
OCTOBER 2008 - DECEMBER 2008
(3-month): percentiles of precipitation for
the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
15.28 |
CD1 |
80.09 |
|
78.95 |
CD2 |
84.21 |
Little |
44.74 |
CD3 |
84.21 |
Verde |
59.46 |
CD4 |
45.61 |
Bill
Williams |
71.05 |
CD5 |
92.98 |
|
60.53 |
CD6 |
94.74 |
|
94.74 |
CD7 |
75.00 |
Salt |
89.47 |
|
|
|
76.32 |
|
|
|
84.21 |
|
|
|
55.26 |
|
|
San Pedro |
77.78 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
51.35 |
|
|
San Simon |
86.84 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
56.76 |
|
JULY 2008 – DECEMBER 2008 (6-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
INTERMEDIATE
TERM CONDITIONS: 12-24 MONTHS
The 12-month period was
wetter than average across northern and much of southern
The 24 month period was
also wetter than average across northern and south central
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.56 |
CD1 |
67.26 |
|
81.58 |
CD2 |
66.81 |
Little |
44.74 |
CD3 |
76.11 |
Verde |
52.63 |
CD4 |
46.02 |
Bill
Williams |
52.63 |
CD5 |
84.07 |
|
50.00 |
CD6 |
92.04 |
|
86.84 |
CD7 |
85.84 |
Salt |
84.21 |
|
|
|
65.79 |
|
|
|
71.05 |
|
|
|
39.47 |
|
|
San Pedro |
65.79 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
31.58 |
|
|
San Simon |
78.95 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
34.21 |
|
JANUARY 2008 – DECEMBER 2008
(12-month): percentiles of precipitation for
the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
2.86 |
CD1 |
77.68 |
|
64.86 |
CD2 |
86.61 |
Little |
48.65 |
CD3 |
86.61 |
Verde |
40.54 |
CD4 |
79.46 |
Bill
Williams |
37.84 |
CD5 |
88.84 |
|
37.84 |
CD6 |
98.21 |
|
89.19 |
CD7 |
93.75 |
Salt |
78.38 |
|
|
|
51.35 |
|
|
|
64.86 |
|
|
|
40.54 |
|
|
San Pedro |
54.05 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
43.24 |
|
|
San Simon |
70.27 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
43.24 |
|
JANUARY 2006 – DECEMBER 2008
(24-month): percentiles of precipitation for
the 15
LONG TERM
CONDITIONS: 36-48 MONTHS
The 36-month period has
three watersheds with above average precipitation, five with near normal
precipitation, four with slightly below average precipitation, and three very
dry watersheds, below the 15th percentile. Temperatures over the three-year period are
extremely high with only the northwest climate division below the 80th
percentile, and the southern climate divisions above the 97th
percentile.
The 48-month period is
now the driest period, with eight watersheds below average, five watersheds
near average, and only two watersheds with above average precipitation. The four-year temperatures are extremely
high, with the southern third of the state above the 99th
percentile, and the coolest climate division, Mohave county in the northwest,
above the 75th percentile.
|
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.88 |
CD1 |
78.38 |
|
41.67 |
CD2 |
89.19 |
Little |
44.44 |
CD3 |
88.29 |
Verde |
30.56 |
CD4 |
87.39 |
Bill
Williams |
11.11 |
CD5 |
90.99 |
|
13.89 |
CD6 |
97.30 |
|
69.44 |
CD7 |
99.10 |
Salt |
61.11 |
|
|
|
38.89 |
|
|
|
61.11 |
|
|
|
30.56 |
|
|
San Pedro |
55.56 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
55.56 |
|
|
San Simon |
33.33 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
47.22 |
|
JANUARY 2005 – DECEMBER 2008
(36-month): percentiles of temperature, and
precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
28.12 |
CD1 |
75.45 |
|
62.86 |
CD2 |
90.91 |
Little |
42.86 |
CD3 |
87.73 |
Verde |
40.00 |
CD4 |
91.82 |
Bill
Williams |
14.29 |
CD5 |
89.09 |
|
22.86 |
CD6 |
99.09 |
|
65.71 |
CD7 |
100.00 |
Salt |
54.29 |
|
|
|
51.43 |
|
|
|
51.43 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
|
|
San Pedro |
34.29 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
37.14 |
|
|
San Simon |
31.43 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
45.71 |
|
JANUARY 2004 – DECEMBER 2008
(48-month): percentiles of temperature, and
precipitation for the 15
January 2008 Arizona Drought
Update based on precipitation data through December 2008)
The
following summary describes the heat and dryness across the state for the 1-,
3-, 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48-month periods.
SUMMARY
December
was very wet in the northern two thirds of the state, above the 75th
percentile. Precipitation was near
average in the southern watersheds, and slightly above average on the upper
Gila and San Simon. Precipitation fell
on 19 days in December, with snow on 14 of those days, as a series of winter
storms moved across the state. The
storms dropped temperatures in the state to near or below average everywhere
except on the Colorado Plateau.
The 3-month period
of October through December has also been wetter than average for the northern
half of the state. The upper and lower
Gila, San Simon, and San Pedro watersheds had near average precipitation, while
the
The 6-month period
precipitation was near or above average across the state, with the Salt, lower
Gila and San Simon watersheds above the 86th percentile. Six-month temperatures were up above the 75th
percentile except in Gila county. Gila
county had near average temperatures due to both the wet monsoon and the recent
cold winter storms.
The 12-month period
was wetter than average across northern and much of southern
The 24 month period
was also wetter than average across northern and south central
The 36-month period
has three watersheds with above average precipitation, five with near normal
precipitation, four with slightly below average precipitation, and three very
dry watersheds, below the 15th percentile. Temperatures over the three-year period are
extremely high with only the northwest climate division below the 80th
percentile, and the southern climate divisions above the 97th
percentile.
The 48-month period
is now the driest period, with eight watersheds below average, five watersheds
near average, and only two watersheds with above average precipitation. The four-year temperatures are extremely
high, with the southern third of the state above the 99th
percentile, and the coolest climate division, Mohave county in the northwest,
above the 75th percentile.