2001 Charleston, West Virginia (CRW)

views updated

2001 CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA (CRW)

Charleston lies at the junction of the Kanawha and Elk Rivers in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The main urban and business areas have developed along the two river valleys, while some residential areas are in nearby valleys and on the surrounding hills. The hilltops are around 1,100 feet above sea level, about 500 feet higher than the valleys. The Kanawha Airport is just over 2 miles northeast of the center–city area, on an artificial plateau constructed from several hilltops.

Weather records are maintained at the Kanawha Airport by National Weather Service personnel. This site tends to be slightly cooler than the river valleys during the afternoons. Conversely, the valleys can become cooler than the hilltops during clear, calm nights. The weather at Charleston is highly changeable, especially from mid–autumn through the spring.

Winters can vary greatly from one season to the next. Snow does not favor any given winter month, heavy snowstorms are infrequent, and most snowfalls are in the 4–inch or less category. Snow and ice usually do not persist on valley roads, but can linger longer on nearby hills and outlying rural roads.

Afternoon temperatures in the 40s and morning readings in the 20s are common during the winter. Yet, every winter typically has two or three extended cold spells when temperatures stay below freezing for a few consecutive days. Northwesterly winds are associated with the cold weather. Air reaching Charleston from the northwest can cause cloudiness and flurries, even when there is no nearby organized storm system. Winter conditions are much more severe over the higher mountains less than 50 miles to the northeast through the southeast. Temperatures warm rapidly in the spring and are accompanied by low daytime humidities.

Summer and early autumn have more day–to–day consistency in the weather. Sunshine is more abundant than in winter. Summer precipitation falls mostly in brief, but sometimes heavy, showers. Flash flooding can occur along small streams, but flooding is rare on the dam–controlled Kanawha and Elk Rivers.

Afternoon summer temperatures are mostly in the 80s. Readings above 95 degrees are rare. However, during a hot spell, haze and humidity can add to the unpleasantness and indoor air conditioning is recommended. Cooler and less humid air often penetrates the area from the north to end a hot spell.

Early morning fog is common from late June into October. Industrial and vehicular pollutants can contribute to limited visibility any time of the year, especially when cooler air becomes trapped in the valleys. Autumn foliage is generally at its peak during the second and third weeks of October. By the end of October, the first 32 degree temperature has usually arrived.

Ample precipitation is well distributed throughout the year. July is quite often the wettest month of the year, while October averages the least rain. Droughts severe enough to limit water use are scarce. Any dry spells during the spring or autumn can cause conditions favorable for brush fires in outlying areas.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

CHARLESTON, WV (CRW)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 13866

38 22′ 46″ N  81 35′ 29″ W  GRND: 1023  BARO: 1026  EASTERN (UTC + 5)

ELEMENTPROJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3041.245.356.766.875.583.185.784.478.868.257.346.065.8
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM4842.546.756.067.575.982.685.584.378.468.056.246.165.8
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM54797989949398104101102928580104
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195020001990199019911999198819881953195119931982JUL 1988
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5366.869.379.386.389.192.394.392.790.482.976.868.482.4
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3023.025.735.042.851.559.864.463.456.544.236.328.044.2
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM4824.527.134.343.551.959.864.263.356.144.335.528.244.4
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM54-16-120192633464134176-12-16
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199419961980198219661972196319651983196219501989JAN 1994
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.532.97.416.926.435.546.152.751.440.828.518.68.828.0
NORMAL DRY BULB3032.135.545.954.863.571.475.173.967.756.246.837.055.0
MEAN DRY BULB5334.037.144.955.463.871.475.073.867.356.446.037.355.2
MEAN WET BULB4930.532.738.947.656.864.368.367.561.250.540.933.449.4
MEAN DEW POINT4924.125.831.039.451.560.665.164.657.745.734.727.644.0
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.00.41.14.67.54.81.90.00.00.020.3
MAXIMUM 32308.45.20.7*0.00.00.00.00.00.00.34.919.5
MINIMUM 323024.020.713.74.80.50.00.00.00.03.812.221.0100.7
MINIMUM 0301.20.4*0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.42.0
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS3010208265923121291000442995468684646
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS3000068320231327612526001031
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3069676159677276777872697070
HOUR 01 LST3074726767798690919083767579
HOUR 07 LST3077777476838690929287817883
HOUR 13 LST3062595247515458595854576256
HOUR 19 LST3063605247556166697365626662
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)543.73.12.62.87.410.813.817.915.610.34.23.695.8
THUNDERSTORMS540.50.92.34.16.78.29.67.43.31.10.70.345.1
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)17.24.08.0
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR11.05.07.012.01.07.04.06.03.0
PARTLY CLOUDY11.02.03.01.03.01.01.02.0
CLOUDY18.010.08.012.05.02.01.07.04.014.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2929.0729.0428.9928.9728.9728.9929.0229.0529.0629.0829.0729.0729.03
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)4930.1230.0930.0330.0030.0030.0030.0330.0430.0830.1130.1030.1330.06
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)356.86.67.46.85.64.94.54.04.24.65.96.15.6
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2223232322222223230623232323
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)734313230363536292328333136
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)15143015283530272921272128
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619972000199620011998200020011999200120002000MAY 2001
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)746464344545266613039464766
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)13313129283520312122272620
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619992001199820011998199720002000199620002001JUL 1997
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)302.913.043.633.313.943.594.994.013.242.893.593.3942.53
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)549.116.898.356.468.7610.5613.5410.457.616.498.458.0213.54
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195019561997196520011998196119581971198319851978JUL 1961
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)541.090.641.300.500.840.701.980.660.650.090.640.450.09
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198119681987197619771966199319571959196319651965OCT 1963
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)542.452.702.862.723.312.245.604.172.402.482.882.475.60
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199420001967194819821962196119581956196119911978JUL 1961
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.013014.913.614.413.813.111.412.911.210.09.612.114.2151.2
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.40.30.50.40.60.71.30.80.80.60.90.57.8
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)3012.210.34.61.00.*0.00.00.00.00.21.66.136.0
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)4939.521.820.420.70.6TTTT2.825.821.939.5
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197819641993198719891994199019891994196119501995JAN 1978
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)4915.811.217.111.30.6TTTT2.815.111.217.1
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197819831993198719891994199019891994196119501967MAR 1993
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)442313917T00002191023
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19781985198019871989196119501967JAN 1978
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0303.93.11.50.20.00.00.00.00.00.*0.72.111.5
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 CHARLESTON, WV (CRW)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19725.475.512.175.162.554.334.134.133.612.485.266.3551.15
19731.522.413.405.445.364.486.882.073.914.755.423.6849.32
19744.672.504.543.056.065.072.164.222.641.643.723.1943.46
19754.843.106.014.036.444.252.715.144.993.082.663.7450.99
19762.892.114.210.503.664.246.932.235.375.441.022.1840.78
19771.901.083.164.060.845.934.926.581.144.163.782.0739.62
19785.591.312.673.313.992.969.838.211.452.682.268.0252.28
19796.483.763.003.823.873.545.174.783.953.674.022.8148.87
19802.852.255.324.492.672.178.4710.322.372.033.021.8547.81
19811.094.591.804.043.786.463.022.242.362.431.292.7135.81
19823.743.234.961.146.197.002.682.652.581.654.652.7143.18
19831.242.723.153.965.982.774.192.541.336.494.803.1942.36
19841.672.562.724.003.712.564.374.572.953.284.733.7840.90
19853.072.324.231.845.883.073.222.020.713.658.452.7141.17
19862.124.351.871.394.862.367.614.713.512.206.883.8945.75
19873.233.341.304.052.493.384.233.563.891.102.714.1337.41
19881.622.502.712.172.590.943.002.863.461.875.022.6631.40
19892.926.055.814.136.797.543.045.627.284.092.871.8357.97
19902.863.741.942.894.873.015.352.544.263.512.077.0144.05
19912.682.986.073.491.472.492.842.955.511.105.005.8942.47
19921.942.724.792.934.663.216.414.411.380.943.153.5040.04
19931.872.986.681.781.985.011.982.715.993.503.953.2341.66
19946.425.567.733.783.984.433.716.201.951.131.952.5249.36
19956.022.982.732.596.154.932.915.812.702.613.312.7945.53
19965.182.824.323.777.403.598.502.827.372.494.362.0454.66
19971.761.768.352.773.605.245.834.141.940.842.961.5740.76
19983.434.233.414.775.2710.563.653.702.501.671.893.1848.26
19994.812.673.702.201.901.305.372.971.813.434.532.5537.24
20001.414.252.264.674.753.386.064.352.870.871.272.1038.24
20012.431.903.281.308.764.1910.062.741.851.361.432.4741.77
POR=100 YRS3.613.274.073.543.903.894.974.123.062.693.183.2043.50
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 CHARLESTON, WV (CRW)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197238.735.243.854.563.764.973.472.768.752.543.442.154.5
197334.335.152.253.860.873.374.574.670.158.946.838.056.0
197443.537.149.156.964.267.874.273.663.252.445.236.855.3
197535.738.039.850.266.171.774.276.763.957.650.238.655.2
197631.745.851.655.261.971.972.470.263.349.537.631.053.5
197718.633.249.858.467.068.676.973.670.253.449.135.154.5
197824.424.242.656.763.170.973.874.971.053.849.439.053.7
197928.127.950.555.163.068.872.973.467.054.647.538.353.9
198034.129.742.053.363.668.876.676.369.853.643.236.353.9
198128.037.241.459.160.473.275.772.866.554.245.334.654.0
198229.836.147.251.568.668.876.271.165.957.749.044.855.6
198334.037.747.052.161.171.677.078.068.458.147.432.055.4
198430.641.541.154.261.475.373.274.965.464.444.646.956.1
198527.234.049.460.866.371.075.874.069.662.355.533.856.6
198634.140.547.157.965.372.277.271.969.557.946.436.456.4
198733.037.247.052.768.473.577.177.067.150.349.039.856.0
198831.135.246.154.163.271.078.677.466.649.347.037.454.8
198941.134.947.852.859.471.775.773.267.056.746.426.054.4
199042.345.251.755.162.972.375.874.168.758.250.743.658.4
199136.540.347.460.371.773.977.975.268.459.145.841.358.2
199235.641.845.455.761.268.876.070.967.454.147.437.955.2
199340.234.041.855.064.971.479.076.466.655.147.136.655.7
199428.138.745.360.559.774.276.172.465.454.850.641.255.6
199534.734.046.955.261.971.476.477.664.656.940.832.554.4
199632.135.539.654.064.771.971.672.865.955.840.241.453.8
199735.643.847.150.858.770.174.570.865.055.142.236.554.2
199841.042.045.955.465.870.373.773.970.256.146.740.456.8
199938.339.440.158.564.072.979.172.365.854.848.938.256.0
200032.143.249.254.166.072.371.371.865.757.743.328.654.6
200133.240.640.359.164.070.672.474.864.655.150.442.355.6
POR=94 YRS35.738.045.755.864.572.176.074.768.957.446.637.956.1

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 CHARLESTON, WV (CRW)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-731621437864270194583239435115744436
1973-740119202541833659775500277115253947
1974-75001103885908698997497724455944885
1975-7600106227441813102554942734214244076
1976-7709844758141047143288848224281525606
1977-78021935748291912491138691258137235275
1978-79001834446279711371031456308125194697
1979-80510393315198209511017707349106274881
1980-810033356650882113877472720717524944
1981-82017633558593610868015454053624808
1982-831269268480626955757554388153164269
1983-8440662275211019105967473434617154826
1984-85109874613563116486048819254184125
1985-8600511272949609546795542498373958
1986-87023232555508809897705493746344480
1987-8800374474737741043859577326112384686
1988-89203748453484973583753636722124604
1989-900772270553120369754944632311184239
1990-9100592304286558766855581922113705
1991-920080229576729904670602319170244303
1992-93016733552283476086271330673244497
1993-940064307540873113673260719119734650
1994-95043430842472993286155530613874298
1995-960072262721999100884877935710545155
1996-972059278743727908592547429213234521
1997-98065332467687773363962628360384315
1998-99002929054175882171176321374134213
1999-000156312475821101462749032051144181
2000-010094250644112297868175924982134872
2001-0095309433699
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 CHARLESTON, WV (CRW)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972000245685283247132000827
1973004223425630430518122201130
19740014439911829227562610910
1975000799212291372827401074
19760117585421823817539100801
197700185014816537327718041201227
197800016882072793142054101114
1979001318691382572771051700894
19800006711473703581829001143
198100238412563402511265001059
198200061541223551961014756992
198300263922238540717718001256
1984000276431826131211665781178
198500972105204339285194521401274
19860044110022738424416743001210
1987000131772683813791080201328
1988003964225430392914301221
1989001165521133927314023201060
19900041335423234228617428701197
199100176023627340832419053501566
19920024757143347192145400937
199300014762224443641197801254
19940046237288353240510101036
199510120512093634016923201140
19960003410521421324793250913
19971501123182302195612300803
1998003939320527528319420041116
19990002448254443236891001095
20000053932412012181222700910
20010008056185235310931200971
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 CHARLESTON, WV (CRW)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.00.96.91.43.42.94.80.90.00.021.2
1973-740.00.00.00.0T6.50.313.00.91.20.00.021.9
1974-750.00.00.00.62.78.318.12.48.10.10.00.040.3
1975-760.00.00.00.0T4.014.32.65.40.00.00.026.3
1976-770.00.00.0T4.77.422.211.11.01.50.00.047.9
1977-780.00.00.00.04.45.439.515.611.70.00.00.076.6
1978-790.00.00.00.0T1.527.520.15.5T0.00.054.6
1979-800.00.00.0T0.90.411.712.710.5T0.00.036.2
1980-810.00.00.0T0.52.69.16.87.5T0.00.026.5
1981-820.00.00.0T0.58.212.16.47.41.00.00.035.6
1982-830.00.00.00.0T2.95.815.05.20.10.00.029.0
1983-840.00.00.00.00.33.812.89.72.40.00.00.029.0
1984-850.00.00.00.0T3.717.620.10.91.70.00.044.0
1985-860.00.00.00.00.08.913.117.73.7T0.00.043.4
1986-870.00.00.00.00.20.116.39.73.920.70.00.050.9
1987-880.00.00.0T2.45.78.37.84.6T0.00.028.8
1988-890.00.00.0TT6.91.74.6T1.40.60.015.2
1989-900.0TTT2.014.111.03.86.61.10.00.038.6
1990-91T0.00.00.00.01.23.56.55.3T0.00.016.5
1991-920.00.00.00.04.10.75.61.18.63.6TT23.7
1992-930.00.00.0T2.53.70.412.020.4T0.0T39.0
1993-940.00.00.01.50.412.434.27.03.10.00.0T58.6
1994-950.00.0T0.0TT9.17.98.70.00.00.025.7
1995-960.00.00.00.013.621.935.114.220.40.80.0T106.0
1996-970.00.00.0
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-
POR=49 YRSTTT0.12.45.211.18.75.40.9TT33.8

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

2001 Charleston, West Virginia (CRW)

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article

You Might Also Like

    NEARBY TERMS

    2001 Charleston, West Virginia (CRW)