State Precipitation &
Temperature Update for
Conditions through April 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 05/14/2008. Upper Colorado watershed is missing 1
station. The data are preliminary.
Precipitation Percentiles by Watershed
(through April 2008)
Temperature Percentiles by Climate
Division (through April 2008)
SHORT TERM CONDITIONS: 1-6 MONTHS
April was extremely
dry across the entire state. Precipitation
was below the 10th percentile for all watersheds except the lower
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.26 |
CD1 |
67.54 |
|
7.89 |
CD2 |
48.25 |
Little |
7.89 |
CD3 |
57.89 |
Verde |
7.89 |
CD4 |
73.25 |
Bill
Williams |
6.58 |
CD5 |
60.09 |
|
5.26 |
CD6 |
72.81 |
|
9.21 |
CD7 |
67.54 |
Salt |
7.89 |
|
|
|
19.74 |
|
|
|
6.58 |
|
|
|
15.79 |
|
|
San Pedro |
7.89 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
6.58 |
|
|
San Simon |
10.53 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
7.89 |
|
APRIL 2008: percentiles of precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
21.05 |
CD1 |
67.11 |
|
31.58 |
CD2 |
52.63 |
Little |
21.05 |
CD3 |
54.82 |
Verde |
26.32 |
CD4 |
67.11 |
Bill
Williams |
21.05 |
CD5 |
68.86 |
|
13.16 |
CD6 |
68.86 |
|
13.16 |
CD7 |
65.35 |
Salt |
15.79 |
|
|
|
18.42 |
|
|
|
13.16 |
|
|
|
15.79 |
|
|
San Pedro |
13.16 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
8.11 |
|
|
San Simon |
21.05 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
11.84 |
|
FEBRUARY 2008 - APRIL 2008 (3-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
35.71 |
CD1 |
61.40 |
|
70.27 |
CD2 |
57.02 |
Little |
69.44 |
CD3 |
64.47 |
Verde |
58.33 |
CD4 |
86.84 |
Bill
Williams |
54.05 |
CD5 |
71.05 |
|
59.46 |
CD6 |
73.68 |
|
70.27 |
CD7 |
81.14 |
Salt |
67.57 |
|
|
|
48.65 |
|
|
|
51.35 |
|
|
|
52.70 |
|
|
San Pedro |
48.57 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
47.22 |
|
|
San Simon |
72.97 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
47.22 |
|
NOVEMBER 2008 – APRIL 2008 (6-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
INTERMEDIATE
TERM CONDITIONS: 12-24 MONTHS
The 12-month period had
near- to above-average precipitation in 11 watersheds, and below-average
precipitation in the Virgin,
The 24-month period was
much drier than it was last month, with no watersheds above the 59th
percentile. Three watersheds are still at
or below the 25th percentile, nine are between the 40th
and 59th percentiles, while last month six watersheds were above the
60th percentile. Temperatures
for the 24-month period warmed above the 86th percentile everywhere
but the northwest, where they dropped slightly to the 78th
percentile.
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.71 |
CD1 |
74.34 |
|
70.27 |
CD2 |
81.42 |
Little |
67.57 |
CD3 |
85.84 |
Verde |
56.76 |
CD4 |
92.04 |
Bill
Williams |
45.95 |
CD5 |
84.96 |
|
48.65 |
CD6 |
91.15 |
|
70.27 |
CD7 |
92.04 |
Salt |
70.27 |
|
|
|
56.76 |
|
|
|
45.95 |
|
|
|
37.84 |
|
|
San Pedro |
32.43 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
33.33 |
|
|
San Simon |
51.35 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
38.89 |
|
MAY 2008 – APRIL 2008 (12-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.88 |
CD1 |
77.68 |
|
44.44 |
CD2 |
86.61 |
Little |
47.22 |
CD3 |
91.07 |
Verde |
27.78 |
CD4 |
90.18 |
Bill
Williams |
11.11 |
CD5 |
92.86 |
|
22.22 |
CD6 |
93.75 |
|
52.78 |
CD7 |
97.32 |
Salt |
47.22 |
|
|
|
38.89 |
|
|
|
47.22 |
|
|
|
36.11 |
|
|
San Pedro |
44.44 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
58.33 |
|
|
San Simon |
38.89 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
55.56 |
|
MAY 2007 – APRIL 2008 (24-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
LONG TERM
CONDITIONS: 36-48 MONTHS
The 36-month period continues
to be the driest long-term period, especially in the eastern half of the
state. All watersheds remain below the 35th
percentile, and nine watersheds are below the 15th percentile. For temperature, the southeast climate
divisions are above the 95th percentile and even the coolest climate
division, in the northwest, is above the 75th percentile.
The 48-month period had
very dry conditions in the southeast, near average conditions in central
|
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
12.12 |
CD1 |
75.68 |
|
31.43 |
CD2 |
89.19 |
Little |
14.29 |
CD3 |
90.99 |
Verde |
11.43 |
CD4 |
94.59 |
Bill
Williams |
2.86 |
CD5 |
87.39 |
|
5.71 |
CD6 |
97.30 |
|
28.57 |
CD7 |
100.00 |
Salt |
14.29 |
|
|
|
28.57 |
|
|
|
11.43 |
|
|
|
8.57 |
|
|
San Pedro |
20.00 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
31.43 |
|
|
San Simon |
8.57 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
34.29 |
|
MAY 2006 – APRIL 2008 (36-month): percentiles of temperature, and precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
45.16 |
CD1 |
75.45 |
|
67.65 |
CD2 |
89.09 |
Little |
35.29 |
CD3 |
88.18 |
Verde |
55.88 |
CD4 |
94.55 |
Bill
Williams |
38.24 |
CD5 |
85.45 |
|
35.29 |
CD6 |
93.64 |
|
58.82 |
CD7 |
99.09 |
Salt |
44.12 |
|
|
|
76.47 |
|
|
|
32.35 |
|
|
|
8.82 |
|
|
San Pedro |
11.76 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
35.29 |
|
|
San Simon |
17.65 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
38.24 |
|
MAY 2005 – APRIL 2008 (48-month): percentiles of temperature, and precipitation for the 15
May 2008 Arizona Drought
Update based on precipitation data through April 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
April
was extremely dry across the entire state.
Precipitation was below the 10th percentile for all
watersheds except the lower
The 3-month winter
period of February through April was also drier than average across the state,
as most places haven’t had precipitation since mid-February. The three month period saw temperatures
slightly warmer than average across the entire state, significantly cooler than
this period has been in previous years.
The 6-month period
precipitation, from November through April, was near- to slightly above-average
in most watersheds, ranging from the 47th to the 71st
percentile. The driest watershed was the
Virgin, at the 36th percentile.
The storms tracked from the southwest to the northeast as they moved
across the state, leaving the southeast and northwest corners of the state
dry. Temperatures were near average on
the Colorado Plateau, and slightly warmer in the central and western parts of
the state. Gila and the southeastern
counties were much warmer than average.
The 12-month period
had near- to above-average precipitation in 11 watersheds, and below-average
precipitation in the Virgin,
The 24-month period
was much drier than it was last month, with no watersheds above the 59th
percentile. Three watersheds are still
at or below the 25th percentile, nine are between the 40th
and 59th percentiles, while last month six watersheds were above the
60th percentile. Temperatures
for the 24-month period warmed above the 86th percentile everywhere
but the northwest, where they dropped slightly to the 78th
percentile.
The 36-month period
continues to be the driest long-term period, especially in the eastern half of
the state. All watersheds remain below
the 35th percentile, and nine watersheds are below the 15th
percentile. For temperature, the
southeast climate divisions are above the 95th percentile and even
the coolest climate division, in the northwest, is above the 75th
percentile.
The 48-month period
had very dry conditions in the southeast, near average conditions in central