Gila Bend, Arizona

... Highlights...
... 7th warmest November on record...
... 41st driest November on record...
... 5th warmest November day on record...
... 6th warmest fall on record...
... 6th driest fall on record...

Most of November was dominated by high pressure aloft... but not as
strong as what occurred in 2007 which led to the warmest November on
record. Several mostly dry weather systems moved through the area
before Thanksgiving day and brought some relief in the warmer than
normal temperatures... gusty winds and some very light rain (9th).
The windy days of the month occurred on the 9th... 14th and 21st.

Highest daily wind gusts at the Airport...
43 mph from the west on the 9th
43 mph from the east on the 21st
41 mph from the northwest on the 14th

The best precipitation event since mid-September hit the area on
Thanksgiving day as a Pacific storm system moved through the state.
This system tapped into tropical moisture and spread it north across
the area with rainfall totals ranging from a quarter of an inch to
over one inch with locally higher amounts in the mountains. Due to
the storm not being too cold... the snow levels only fell to about
7500 feet with up to two inches of snow being recored.

Officially the average monthly temperature of 63.0 degrees ranks as
the 7th warmest November on record (tied with 2006 and 1950). Six of
the top 10 warmest novembers have occurred since 1994. The average
monthly low temperature of 48.9 degrees ranks as the 6th warmest on
record. Temperature extremes for the month ranged from a near
all-time monthly record high of 92 degrees on the 1st to a low of 36
degrees on the 7th. The 92 degrees on the 1st ranks as the 5th (tied)
warmest November date on record.

   Top 10 warmest top 10 warmest
     novembers November dates
     on record. On record
1) 65.7 in 2007 1) 94 on Nov 1 1924
2) 65.4 in 1999 2) 93 on Nov 6 1999
3) 64.3 in 1949 93 on Nov 6 1934
4) 64.0 in 1894 93 on Nov 2 1916
5) 63.2 in 1942 5) 92 on Nov 1 2008 ***
6) 63.1 in 1995 92 on Nov 11 1999
7t) 63.0 in 2008/2006/1950 92 on Nov 9 1906
10t) 62.9 in 2001/1967 9) 91 on Nov 5 2007 *
10 year average ... 61.2 * - last of 11 occurrences
1971-2000 normal .. 58.7

Two record high minimum temperatures were set/tied during November.
On the 21st it was 55 degrees... which tied the previous record set in
1936 and on the 25th it was also 55... which broke the old record of
54 degrees set in 1990 and 1894)

Rain fell across the Metro area on three dates (9th... 26th and 27th)
with the heaviest rain occurring on Thanksgiving day. Officially the
international Airport recorded just less than three tenths of an inch
which is 0.38" below normal. However rainfall amounts across the
Metro area were much greater and ranged from 0.25" to 1.70" with the
highest amounts being recorded up in the foothills and parts of the
northwest side of the Metro area.

Last 10 November rainfall totals (airport)...
2008 ... .. 0.29" 2002 ... .. 0.23"
2007 ... .. 0.80" 2001 ... .. 0.05"
2006 ... .. Trace 2000 ... .. 1.37"
2005 ... .. 0.00" 1999 ... .. 0.00"
2004 ... .. 0.44" 1998 ... .. 0.67"
10 year average ... 0.42"
1971-2000 normal .. 0.67"

... November 2008 stats... month normal departure
average high temperature 77.0 72.3 + 4.7
average low temperature 48.9 45.1 + 3.8
average temperature 63.0 58.7 + 4.3
rainfall (airport) 0.29" 0.67" - 0.38"

Fall 2008 will go into the record books as the 6th warmest on record
(tied with 1995 and 1950) with an average fall temperature of 72.7
degrees. Seven of the top 10 warmest fall seasons have occurred
since 1994.

Top 10 warmest falls on record.
1) 74.0 in 1999
2) 73.8 in 2007
3) 73.5 in 2001
4) 73.3 in 1954
5) 73.0 in 2005
6t) 72.7 in 2008/1995/1950
9t) 72.4 in 2003/1989
10 year average ... 71.9
1971-2000 normal .. 70.0

The Airport officially recorded slightly over a half an inch of rain
for fall 2008 which is well below the normal of 3.40" and ranks as
6th driest fall on record. The Airport was one of the driest spots
in the Metro area with totals ranging from a half an inch to two
inches... with the wettest spots being in the foothills and on the
northwest side.

Past 10 fall rainfall totals (airport)...
2008 ... .. 0.53" 2002 ... .. 2.41"
2007 ... .. 1.27" 2001 ... .. 1.07"
2006 ... .. 1.87" 2000 ... .. 6.37"
2005 ... .. 0.36" 1999 ... .. 0.97"
2004 ... .. 1.67" 1998 ... .. 2.01"
10 year average ... 2.01"
1971-2000 normal .. 3.40" or 13.90" 10-year deficit

... Fall 2008 stats... fall normal departure
average high temperature 86.8 83.4 + 3.4
average low temperature 58.7 56.6 + 2.1
average temperature 72.7 70.0 + 2.7
rainfall (airport) 0.53" 3.40" - 2.87"

2008 currently ranks as the 17th warmest year on record with an
average yearly temperature of 71.5 degrees. For the 7th year in
the past eight... the Tucson area heads into December with a yearly
rainfall total below normal. The 7.64 inches recorded at the Tucson
International Airport this year ranks as the 21st driest on record.

Past 10 yearly rainfall total through November 30th...
2008 ... .. 7.64" 2003 ... .. 9.89"
2007 ... .. 9.02" 2002 ... .. 7.19"
2006 ... .. 11.19" 2001 ... .. 7.21"
2005 ... .. 9.56" 2000 ... .. 12.44"
2004 ... .. 6.89" 1999 ... .. 9.68"
10 year average ... 9.07"
1971-2000 normal .. 11.14" or 20.70" 10-year deficit

... 2008 stats thru November... year normal departure
average high temperature 85.4 84.2 + 1.2
average low temperature 57.6 56.3 + 1.3
average temperature 71.5 70.2 + 1.3
highs of 100 degrees or better 50 55 - 5
rainfall 7.64" 11.14" - 3.50"

... Looking ahead into December...
the climate prediction center forecasts that the month of December
will have elevated chances of above normal temperatures and below
normal precipitation.

December data...
average high temperature ... ... ... 64.3 degrees
average low temperature... ... ... .. 39.8 degrees
average monthly temperature ... ... 52.0 degrees
record high temperature ... ... ... . 85 degrees on December 29 1921
                                            (last of 4 occurrences)
record low temperature ... ... ... .. 10 degrees on December 14 1901
warmest December (avg) ... ... ... .. 58.1 degrees in 1980
coldest December (avg) ... ... ... .. 45.0 degrees in 1911
normal rainfall ... ... ... ... ... ... 1.07 inches
wettest December day ... ... ... ... . 2.15 inches on December 6 1906
wettest December ... ... ... ... ... .. 5.85 inches in 1914
driest December ... ... ... ... ... ... zero inches in 1981
                                 (last of 6 occurrences)
record December snowfall ... ... ... 6.8 inches in 1971 (8th)

The 2008-2009 winter season outlook is for normal temperatures
and enhanced probabilities of below normal precipitation.

Winter data...
average high temperature ... ... ... 65.8 degrees
average low temperature... ... ... .. 39.9 degrees
average monthly temperature ... ... 52.9 degrees
warmest winter (avg) ... ... ... ... . 56.6 degrees in 1980-1981
coldest winter (avg) ... ... ... ... . 46.8 degrees in 1912-1913
normal rainfall ... ... ... ... ... ... 2.90 inches
wettest winter ... ... ... ... ... ... . 9.78 inches in 1992-1993
driest winter ... ... ... ... ... ... . 0.01 inches in 2005-2006
record winter snowfall ... ... ... .. 6.8 inches in 1971-1972

The number of daylight hours will decrease from 10 hours 12 minutes
on the first to 10 hours 4 minutes on the 31st... a loss of 8 minutes.
Winter will begin on December 21st at 5:04 am when the sun reaches
the southern most latitude part of Earth (23.4 degrees south or along
the Tropic of capricorn).

(Additional daily data and graphs are available on our website at:
http://www.Wrh.NOAA.Gov/twc/climate/monthly/Nov.Php)

Glueck