State Precipitation &
Temperature Update for
Conditions through August 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 09/23/2008. The data are preliminary.
Precipitation Percentiles by Watershed
(through August 2008)
Temperature Percentiles by Climate
Division (through August 2008)
SHORT TERM CONDITIONS: 1-6 MONTHS
August was drier than
average in the Little Colorado River watershed, near average on the lower
Colorado, Agua Fria, Willcox, and Virgin River watersheds, and wetter than
average in the other 10 watersheds. Overall,
the monsoon has been very wet this year, especially in the southern half of the
state. Temperatures have been near
average in the southeast, slightly above average in
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
43.24 |
CD1 |
92.98 |
|
78.95 |
CD2 |
91.23 |
Little |
39.47 |
CD3 |
91.23 |
Verde |
73.68 |
CD4 |
74.56 |
Bill
Williams |
63.16 |
CD5 |
92.98 |
|
50.00 |
CD6 |
88.60 |
|
97.37 |
CD7 |
56.14 |
Salt |
92.11 |
|
|
|
50.00 |
|
|
|
86.84 |
|
|
|
78.95 |
|
|
San Pedro |
60.53 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
57.89 |
|
|
San Simon |
86.84 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
60.53 |
|
AUGUST 2008: percentiles of precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
16.67 |
CD1 |
89.38 |
|
76.32 |
CD2 |
82.02 |
Little |
60.53 |
CD3 |
82.46 |
Verde |
63.16 |
CD4 |
81.58 |
Bill
Williams |
65.79 |
CD5 |
92.11 |
|
65.79 |
CD6 |
92.11 |
|
100.00 |
CD7 |
65.79 |
Salt |
89.47 |
|
|
|
65.79 |
|
|
|
97.37 |
|
|
|
89.47 |
|
|
San Pedro |
94.74 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
86.84 |
|
|
San Simon |
97.37 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
81.08 |
|
JUNE 2008 - AUGUST 2008 (3-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.56 |
CD1 |
71.68 |
|
42.11 |
CD2 |
66.67 |
Little |
28.95 |
CD3 |
71.93 |
Verde |
21.05 |
CD4 |
61.40 |
Bill
Williams |
36.84 |
CD5 |
81.58 |
|
28.95 |
CD6 |
85.09 |
|
92.11 |
CD7 |
81.14 |
Salt |
65.79 |
|
|
|
57.89 |
|
|
|
92.11 |
|
|
|
73.68 |
|
|
San Pedro |
92.11 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
78.95 |
|
|
San Simon |
86.84 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
70.27 |
|
MARCH 2008 – AUGUST 2008 (6-month): percentiles of precipitation for the 15
INTERMEDIATE
TERM CONDITIONS: 12-24 MONTHS
The 12-month period precipitation
was near average in central
The 24-month period was
drier than average across the northern half of the state, with extreme variability
in precipitation across the southern half of
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
20.00 |
CD1 |
69.91 |
|
62.16 |
CD2 |
67.26 |
Little |
40.54 |
CD3 |
76.99 |
Verde |
56.76 |
CD4 |
81.86 |
Bill
Williams |
45.95 |
CD5 |
79.65 |
|
48.65 |
CD6 |
86.73 |
|
81.08 |
CD7 |
90.27 |
Salt |
78.38 |
|
|
|
43.24 |
|
|
|
59.46 |
|
|
|
62.16 |
|
|
San Pedro |
67.57 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
55.56 |
|
|
San Simon |
81.08 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
43.24 |
|
SEPTEMBER 2008 – AUGUST 2008
(12-month): percentiles of precipitation for
the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
5.88 |
CD1 |
73.66 |
|
50.00 |
CD2 |
83.93 |
Little |
36.11 |
CD3 |
83.93 |
Verde |
30.56 |
CD4 |
83.04 |
Bill
Williams |
22.22 |
CD5 |
88.39 |
|
19.44 |
CD6 |
90.18 |
|
77.78 |
CD7 |
92.86 |
Salt |
55.56 |
|
|
|
44.44 |
|
|
|
63.89 |
|
|
|
36.11 |
|
|
San Pedro |
50.00 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
58.33 |
|
|
San Simon |
61.11 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
61.11 |
|
SEPTEMBER 2007 – AUGUST 2008
(24-month): percentiles of precipitation for
the 15
LONG TERM
CONDITIONS: 36-48 MONTHS
The 36-month period continues
to be the driest period statewide, with only the upper and lower Gila basin and
the Willcox Playa and Whitewater Draw in the southeast near average. All other watersheds are well below average,
and four in northern
The 48-month period is
much wetter than the 36-month period because it includes the wet winter of
2005. Watersheds in northern and western
|
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
6.06 |
CD1 |
76.58 |
|
25.71 |
CD2 |
88.29 |
Little |
28.57 |
CD3 |
88.29 |
Verde |
11.43 |
CD4 |
91.89 |
Bill
Williams |
5.71 |
CD5 |
88.74 |
|
8.57 |
CD6 |
97.30 |
|
48.57 |
CD7 |
100.00 |
Salt |
28.57 |
|
|
|
22.86 |
|
|
|
42.86 |
|
|
|
20.00 |
|
|
San Pedro |
40.00 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
45.71 |
|
|
San Simon |
25.71 |
|
|
White
Water Draw |
51.43 |
|
SEPTEMBER 2006 – AUGUST 2008
(36-month): percentiles of temperature, and precipitation
for the 15
Watershed |
Precipitation Percentile |
Climate
Division |
Temperature Percentile |
Virgin |
56.25 |
CD1 |
76.36 |
|
79.41 |
CD2 |
89.09 |
Little |
50.00 |
CD3 |
87.27 |
Verde |
61.76 |
CD4 |
94.55 |
Bill
Williams |
55.88 |
CD5 |
84.55 |
|
47.06 |
CD6 |
92.73 |
|
76.47 |
CD7 |
100.00 |
Salt |
55.88 |
|
|
|
82.35 |
|
|
|
58.82 |
|
|
|
26.47 |
|
|
San Pedro |
35.29 |
|
|
Willcox
Playa |
47.06 |
|
|
San Simon |
35.29 |
|
|
White Water
Draw |
52.94 |
|
SEPTEMBER 2005 – AUGUST 2008
(48-month): percentiles of temperature, and
precipitation for the 15
September 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
August:
was drier than average in the Little Colorado River watershed, near average on
the lower Colorado, Agua Fria, Willcox, and Virgin River watersheds, and wetter
than average in the other 10 watersheds.
Overall, the monsoon has been very wet this year, especially in the
southern half of the state. Temperatures
have been near average in the southeast, slightly above average in
The 3-month period:
The monsoon activity in August improved
the three-month period of June through August, especially for the southern half
of the state. The southern watersheds
were all above the 80th percentile, and the northern watersheds were
also well above average for precipitation, except the
The 6-month period
precipitation, from March through August, was much wetter than average in the
southern half of the state and near or below average in the northern half of
the state. The dryness in the north
occurred as the winter storm activity abruptly stopped in mid February, and
most of the monsoon activity remained in the southern half of the state. Six month temperatures were slightly above
average in the northern half of the state, and much above average in the
southern half of the state.
The 12-month period
precipitation was near average in central
The 24-month period
was drier than average across the northern half of the state, with extreme
variability in precipitation across the southern half of
The 36-month period
continues to be the driest period statewide, with only the upper and lower Gila
basin, Willcox Playa and Whitewater Draw in the southeast near average. All other watersheds are well below average,
including four in northern
The 48-month period
was much wetter than the 36-month period because it included the wet winter of
2005. Watersheds in northern and western