2001 El Paso, Texas (ELP)

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2001 EL PASO, TEXAS (ELP)

The city of El Paso is located in the extreme west point of Texas at an elevation of about 3,700 feet. The National Weather Service station is located on a mesa about 200 feet higher than the city. The climate of the region is characterized by an abundance of sunshine throughout the year, high daytime summer temperatures, very low humidity, scanty rainfall, and a relatively mild winter season. The Franklin Mountains begin within the city limits and extend northward for about 16 miles. Peaks of these mountains range from 4,687 to 7,152 feet above sea level.

Rainfall throughout the year is light, insufficient for any growth except desert vegetation. Irrigation is necessary for crops, gardens, and lawns. Dry periods lasting several months are not unusual. Almost half of the precipitation occurs in the three–month period, July through September, from brief but often heavy thunderstorms. Small amounts of snow fall nearly every winter, but snow cover rarely amounts to more than an inch and seldom remains on the ground for more than a few hours.

Daytime summer temperatures are high, frequently above 90 degrees and occasionally above 100 degrees. Summer nights are usually comfortable, with temperatures in the 60s. It should be noted that when temperatures are high the relative humidity is generally quite low. A 20–year tabulation of observations with temperatures above 90 degrees shows that in April, May, and June the humidity averaged from 10 to 14 percent, while in July, August, and September it averaged 22 to 24 percent. This low humidity aids the efficiency of evaporative air coolers, which are widely used in homes and public buildings and are quite effective in cooling the air to comfortable temperatures.

Winter daytime temperatures are mild. At night they drop below freezing about half the time in December and January. The flat, irrigated land of the Rio Grande Valley in the vicinity of El Paso is noticeably cooler, particularly at night, than the airport or the city proper, both in summer and winter. This results in more comfortable temperatures in summer but increases the severity of freezes in winter. The cooler air in the Valley also causes marked short–period fluctuations of temperature and dewpoint at the airport with changes in wind direction, especially during the early morning hours.

Dust and sandstorms are the most unpleasant features of the weather in El Paso. While wind velocities are not excessively high, the soil surface is dry and loose and natural vegetation is sparse, so moderately strong winds raise considerable dust and sand. A tabulation of duststorms for a period of 20 years shows that they are most frequent in March and April, and comparatively rare in the period July through December. prevailing winds are from the north in winter and the south in summer.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

EL PASO, TX (ELP)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 23044

31 48′ 40″ N  106 22′ 33″ W  GRND: 3942  BARO: 3945  MOUNTAIN (UTC + 7)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3056.162.269.978.787.196.596.193.587.178.466.457.577.5
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5457.763.369.978.787.395.795.293.088.078.764.958.277.6
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM6280838998104114112108104968780114
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197019861989198919511994197919801982199419831973JUN 1994
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5470.876.482.690.597.6104.4103.4100.396.789.877.170.988.4
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3029.433.940.248.056.564.368.466.661.649.638.430.749.0
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5431.135.341.349.358.066.669.768.262.150.337.331.750.1
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM62-88142331465756412505-8
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196219851971198319671988198819731945197019961953JAN 1962
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.5416.721.126.234.744.655.463.361.851.437.123.417.937.8
NORMAL DRY BULB3042.848.155.163.471.880.482.380.174.464.052.444.163.2
MEAN DRY BULB5444.449.455.664.072.781.282.580.675.064.551.144.963.8
MEAN WET BULB1836.540.043.047.854.461.165.566.061.151.940.336.650.4
MEAN DEW POINT1824.625.525.827.635.245.655.557.951.440.229.026.037.0
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.02.012.826.026.923.411.81.60.00.0104.5
MAXIMUM 32300.40.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.10.20.8
MINIMUM 323019.612.35.10.9*0.00.00.00.00.47.818.864.9
MINIMUM 0300.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.1
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS3068847331611070000883786482708
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS3000106221746253646828257002094
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3050423227273044485047465241
HOUR 05 LST3065564640414663676965616557
HOUR 11 LST3044372823232537414338384435
HOUR 17 LST3034272017161829333430323727
HOUR 23 LST3055443429293248535653525645
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5478828689909082818384837784
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG (VISBY 1/4 MI)630.60.20.10.00.00.00.00.00.10.10.30.62.0
THUNDERSTORMS630.20.40.51.13.04.510.39.94.01.80.30.236.2
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)533.73.43.42.82.62.23.53.42.72.52.73.43.0
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)313.33.12.82.42.42.23.63.62.92.22.53.02.8
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR5413.913.615.116.718.519.812.013.617.418.517.214.8191.1
PARTLY CLOUDY547.57.38.48.08.27.413.111.97.16.76.17.298.9
CLOUDY549.77.37.55.24.22.75.44.95.05.26.28.571.8
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2926.1026.0926.0026.0026.0026.0026.1026.1026.1026.1026.1126.1026.07
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1730.0629.9829.9129.8329.7729.9729.8429.8729.9029.9430.0230.0729.93
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)598.39.110.911.010.39.38.47.87.77.78.07.98.9
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)3002272727262714143636013636
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)664515256455145474141524364
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)26242826253230363528232526
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619982001200119992000199619981996200119982000JAN 1996
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)675606370585962544858644975
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)26262624243229360826242626
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619981999200119992000199619981999199819982000JAN 1996
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.400.410.290.200.250.671.541.581.700.760.440.578.81
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)621.841.692.261.424.223.185.535.576.684.311.633.296.68
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194919731958198319921984196819841974194519611991SEP 1974
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)620.000.00T0.000.00T0.04TT0.000.000.000.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196719431996197819621990197819621959195219641955APR 1978
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)620.610.871.721.082.401.562.632.302.521.771.191.762.63
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196019561941196619921986196819841958194519431987JUL 1968
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01304.33.02.41.52.13.17.88.56.54.43.13.950.6
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.00.00.00.00.00.10.30.30.40.00.0*1.1
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)301.11.00.30.60.00.00.00.00.00.*1.42.26.6
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)578.38.97.316.5TTT0.0T1.012.725.925.9
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19491956195819831992199219901993198019761987DEC 1987
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)575.27.27.38.8TTT0.0T1.07.816.816.8
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19921956195819831992199219901993198019611987DEC 1987
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)48677900000171414
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1983195619581983199319681987DEC 1987
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0300.40.40.10.10.00.00.00.00.00.*0.50.62.1
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 EL PASO, TX (ELP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.44TT0.000.041.620.712.591.601.250.330.429.00
19731.231.690.600.000.290.712.120.730.010.070.08T7.53
19740.27T0.360.120.050.362.210.636.681.900.500.8713.95
19750.700.590.19T0.03T1.110.452.180.25T0.716.21
19760.260.52T0.300.740.503.170.231.701.201.200.3210.14
19770.57T0.170.090.060.041.091.360.161.650.050.265.50
19780.440.470.070.000.571.460.042.184.142.280.450.4712.57
19790.770.68T0.280.240.030.982.160.41T0.040.255.84
19800.540.730.250.310.08T0.211.761.900.950.540.047.31
19811.100.360.390.650.720.642.085.260.520.530.300.0812.63
19820.340.55T0.050.190.181.000.485.28T0.292.6110.97
19830.350.600.451.420.050.230.430.971.511.480.340.167.99
19840.310.000.440.010.593.180.695.570.583.120.511.1716.17
19850.950.190.590.070.010.101.321.461.471.820.130.058.16
19860.010.390.39T0.833.052.660.700.850.451.421.4212.17
19870.290.300.490.320.242.240.642.220.890.150.292.8710.94
19880.250.700.100.230.150.033.353.461.520.590.240.4411.06
19890.110.720.62T0.65T1.233.060.480.23T0.167.26
19900.290.140.410.250.10T3.961.983.460.581.340.3412.85
19910.820.660.10T0.230.012.692.061.820.200.503.2912.38
19921.140.160.500.304.220.270.652.110.150.270.281.3511.40
19931.340.320.010.12T1.470.952.731.320.170.490.719.63
19940.030.230.370.650.800.670.180.020.030.350.541.615.48
19950.260.880.420.040.011.740.280.763.18T0.260.037.86
19960.110.19T0.490.002.361.971.871.24T0.160.008.39
19970.380.290.640.430.521.110.911.411.550.190.791.419.63
19980.050.150.180.04T0.272.070.530.662.140.340.346.77
19990.100.000.04T0.021.442.001.431.940.560.000.638.16
20000.000.030.060.28T2.451.590.70T0.821.060.427.41
20010.060.240.40T0.180.300.361.720.30T0.600.134.29
POR=123 YRS0.440.410.340.260.370.681.591.501.290.710.420.518.52
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 EL PASO, TX (ELP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197245.252.361.265.269.878.382.277.772.965.748.846.663.8
197342.947.052.457.768.776.679.779.275.963.353.845.761.9
197444.344.859.665.075.682.879.677.069.463.049.941.362.7
197543.148.955.159.769.880.979.880.972.264.051.544.262.5
197642.352.655.964.169.579.478.278.770.558.544.841.961.4
197744.747.349.761.570.781.582.282.577.464.353.749.663.8
197845.448.858.666.173.683.484.580.072.363.655.844.664.7
197941.047.153.163.670.178.485.178.874.266.247.943.162.4
198046.850.654.160.670.586.387.282.475.660.349.248.564.3
198145.250.357.264.873.682.683.679.575.964.654.348.765.0
198242.348.757.764.469.680.984.283.577.164.653.243.364.1
198341.649.554.656.368.977.382.981.878.766.654.345.563.2
198444.447.055.762.075.079.581.180.472.961.451.645.763.1
198540.045.655.264.272.179.079.480.672.861.452.943.162.2
198644.752.155.767.371.577.780.080.474.162.449.442.663.2
198741.346.251.259.768.678.181.679.172.167.051.440.561.4
198842.648.453.461.170.379.080.377.672.466.754.042.662.4
198943.651.458.767.474.281.381.879.173.463.253.341.964.1
199044.149.156.166.473.187.180.276.873.963.452.944.864.0
199144.351.153.964.072.679.078.679.570.765.450.346.363.0
199244.050.258.167.970.681.585.181.377.866.548.044.764.6
199348.551.457.966.774.682.785.282.575.864.452.346.965.7
199445.650.458.366.775.789.088.186.278.366.654.449.467.4
199547.156.359.765.274.380.283.182.874.165.655.047.665.9
199646.554.554.665.580.183.582.979.673.565.546.3
199744.248.258.661.574.381.082.781.678.463.652.240.663.9
199847.147.654.059.574.482.283.580.679.266.055.245.864.6
199948.153.658.063.274.280.081.281.275.463.956.543.464.9
200049.754.057.268.379.080.384.181.578.662.547.644.065.6
200141.850.156.365.576.083.384.381.076.967.654.742.765.0
POR=115 YRS44.649.355.663.872.380.882.080.274.764.551.945.163.7

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 EL PASO, TX (ELP)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-73003874805636794993842183102944
1973-740079033659263655817879502481
1974-7500411074457286724453091881302948
1975-76002066399640696351278912602567
1976-77007214601709623492469138303256
1977-7800056328472603449200572202187
1978-7900161062726257354943621182612755
1979-800024565056705554103311571902727
1980-8100220346750360740523382202504
1981-8200093313499697449237821702387
1982-83000883446687204303162842302873
1983-8400052317599633514285126802534
1984-85001814440459276853730271502841
1985-860010125358670621356283472202492
1986-87001116460687725521420173503108
1987-88000134057506864743601211602825
1988-890221733768466137720852902349
1989-90002108344708640439271452002577
1990-910288835461763638333678302505
1991-9200266643457664442320949302430
1992-930002150262450437322253402303
1993-9400014537555159640121838002324
1994-950004131347554824018584601892
1995-9600153129253356230532289002149
1996-9700010357163546720215500
1997-98000150378746550481342187002834
1998-9900080289590518315218114102125
1999-0000410825366246631424249202100
2000-0100314551364471141226571002764
2001-00018315684
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 EL PASO, TX (ELP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972041570159404543401247120001963
1973000715235545944834044701812
197400198433854045937818154002053
19750093517048246950224141101950
19760047117044141843417918001735
19770003918650054055238043002240
19780089829555961247423870202356
19790008419041463043230899002157
19800003419864669354632963002509
19810228427553458645533389022362
198200147016748460258337182002373
198300032151374564527417108602179
19840024432444150748226038802106
19850095523342845748825218001940
198603012222839147448528141002025
19870002212139952144622283201816
198800915186429478399226761601834
1989022013030049453044226160002239
19900109627866748037428243002221
19910005524542442845520488001899
199200314418250062851138975002432
19930011110306538632550331132202612
1994001792338725722666404100303067
199500279730446256755929258102367
19960671124755605614622631250
1997001053298489556518408116002448
199800830299527581491434116002486
19990086729145750651132481502250
200000415944346360051741777002680
2001004953515546065063651081302602
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 EL PASO, TX (ELP)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.00.00.0T5.34.6T0.00.00.09.9
1973-740.00.00.00.0T0.0TT0.00.00.00.0T
1974-750.00.00.00.00.05.32.20.22.00.00.00.09.7
1975-760.00.00.00.00.0T1.00.0TT0.00.01.0
1976-770.00.00.0T12.72.0TT0.0T0.00.014.7
1977-780.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.0T
1978-790.00.00.00.0TTT1.20.00.00.00.01.2
1979-800.00.00.00.00.00.0T3.60.02.00.00.05.6
1980-810.00.00.01.04.00.04.80.00.00.00.00.09.8
1981-820.00.00.00.00.00.0TT0.00.00.00.0T
1982-830.00.00.00.00.318.2T0.0T16.50.00.035.0
1983-840.00.00.00.0TTT0.06.10.00.00.06.1
1984-850.00.00.00.0T2.95.41.10.00.00.00.09.4
1985-860.00.00.00.00.00.9T0.9T0.00.00.01.8
1986-870.00.00.00.00.00.63.42.80.60.00.00.07.4
1987-880.00.00.00.00.025.9T6.60.00.00.00.032.5
1988-890.00.00.00.0T0.30.00.0T0.0T0.00.3
1989-900.00.00.00.00.0TTT0.0TT0.0T
1990-91T0.00.00.04.3T1.5TT0.0T0.05.8
1991-920.00.00.00.00.00.56.90.0T0.0TT7.4
1992-930.00.00.00.00.01.60.00.00.00.00.00.01.6
1993-940.00.0T0.80.01.60.30.00.00.00.00.02.7
1994-950.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1995-960.00.00.00.00.0T1.60.0T0.0
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-
POR=56 YRST0.0T0.00.91.61.30.80.40.3TT5.3

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