2001 Phoenix, Arizona (PHX)

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2001 PHOENIX, ARIZONA (PHX)

Phoenix is located in the Salt River Valley at an elevation of about 1,100 feet. The valley is oval shaped and flat except for scattered precipitous mountains rising a few hundred to as much as 1,500 feet above the valley floor. Sky Harbor Airport, where the weather observations are taken, is in the southern part of the city. Six miles to the south of the airport are the South Mountains rising to 2,500 feet. Eighteen miles southwest, the Estrella Mountains rise to 4,500 feet, and 30 miles to the west are the White Tank Mountains rising to 4,100 feet. The Superstition Mountains, over 30 miles to the east, rise to as much as 5,000 feet. The valley, though located in the Sonora Desert, supports large acreages of cotton, citrus, and other agriculture along with one of the largest urban populations in the United States. The water supply for this complex desert community is partly from reservoirs on the impounded Salt and Verde Rivers, and partly from a large underground water table.

Temperatures range from very hot in summer to mild in winter. Many winter days reach over 70 degrees and typical high temperatures in the middle of the winter are in the 60s. The climate becomes less attractive in the summer. The normal high temperature is over 90 degrees from early May through early October, and over 100 degrees from early June through early September. Many days each summer will exceed 110 degrees in the afternoon and remain above 85 degrees all night. When temperatures are extremely high, the low humidity does not provide much comfort.

Indeed, the climate is very dry. Annual precipitation is only about 7 inches, and afternoon humidities range from about 30 percent in winter to only about 10 percent in June. Rain comes mostly in two seasons. From about Thanksgiving to early April there are periodic rains from Pacific storms. Moisture from the south and southeast results in a summer thunderstorm peak in July and August. Usually the break from extreme dryness in June to the onset of thunderstorms in early July is very abrupt. Afternoon humidities suddenly double to about 20 percent, which with the great heat, gives a feeling of mugginess. Fog is rare, occurring about once per winter, and is unknown in the other seasons.

The valley is characterized by light winds. High winds associated with thunderstorms occur periodically in the summer. These occasionally create duststorms which move large distances across the deserts. Strong thunderstorm winds occur any month of the year, but are rare outside the summer months. Persistent strong winds of 30 mph or more are rare except for two or three events in an average spring due to Pacific storms. Winter storms rarely bring high winds due to the relatively stable air in the valley during that season.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is December 13 and the average last occurrence in the spring is February 7.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

PHOENIX, AZ (PHX)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 23183

33 26′ 35″ N  111 59′ 25″ W  GRND: 1103  BARO: 1106  MOUNTAIN (UTC + 7)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3065.970.775.584.593.6103.5105.9103.798.388.174.966.285.9
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5166.170.375.484.293.4102.9105.2103.298.788.274.766.385.7
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM6488921001051131221211161181079588122
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197119861988199219841990199519751950198020011950JUN 1990
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5477.682.287.997.2104.7112.3113.4110.6107.499.486.877.696.4
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3041.244.748.855.363.972.981.079.272.860.848.941.859.3
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5141.945.149.456.064.673.280.979.773.161.349.042.359.7
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM6417222532405061604734252217
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195019481966194519671944194419421965197119381948JAN 1950
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.5430.834.538.444.652.963.071.671.062.748.837.331.949.0
NORMAL DRY BULB3053.657.762.269.978.888.293.591.585.674.561.954.172.6
MEAN DRY BULB5453.757.562.369.978.988.092.891.385.974.461.854.072.5
MEAN WET BULB4943.946.148.652.356.762.070.070.565.757.449.044.055.5
MEAN DEW POINT4933.133.333.633.736.041.257.159.453.143.636.132.941.1
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.12.29.722.829.330.930.727.414.80.50.0168.4
MAXIMUM 32300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
MINIMUM 32303.71.40.40.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.22.07.7
MINIMUM 0300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS303622271827580000171343451350
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS30822952224366968848226183114174162
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3051443928221932363637445237
HOUR 05 LST3066605643353145515051586651
HOUR 11 LST3045393423181628333131374632
HOUR 17 LST3032262416131120232322273322
HOUR 23 LST3056484229222033383841495739
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE1179828589949586868988837786
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG (VISBY 1/4 MI)640.50.10.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.20.51.4
THUNDERSTORMS620.40.60.90.71.01.05.97.03.41.40.50.623.4
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE–SUNSET (OKTAS)12.42.02.41.21.21.60.81.6
MIDNIGHT–MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)12.42.41.21.21.60.80.0
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR15.017.518.014.026.017.06.010.015.015.013.0
PARTLY CLOUDY11.05.05.04.01.54.01.02.05.0
CLOUDY16.04.01.01.01.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2828.8928.8728.7828.7228.6628.6428.6828.6928.6928.7628.8428.8928.76
MEAN SEA–LEVEL PRES. (IN)4830.0630.0129.9329.8629.8029.7529.7929.8029.8029.8930.0030.0529.89
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)465.15.76.56.86.96.66.96.56.15.65.24.96.1
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)3010101010272727091010101010
MAXIMUM 2–MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)736304351323341373736302951
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)25212430260417141524253130
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199520011998200120012000199519991999199819972000APR 2001
MAXIMUM 5–SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)739395359404052535148363659
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)24262429270418251524253129
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199520001998200120012000199520001999199819972000APR 2001
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.670.680.880.220.120.130.830.960.860.650.661.007.66
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)645.222.934.162.101.061.705.155.564.234.403.043.985.56
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319981941194119761972198419511939197219521967AUG 1951
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)640.000.000.000.000.000.00TT0.000.000.000.000.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197219671959196219831983199519751973197319801981JUN 1983
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)641.841.492.041.380.961.642.753.072.432.322.161.893.07
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319871983194119761972198419431970198819931967AUG 1943
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01304.03.84.11.60.80.74.34.73.22.72.94.036.8
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.0*0.10.00.0*0.10.20.20.10.00.10.8
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)30TT0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.*0.0
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)62T0.6TTT0.00.00.00.0T0.00.40.6
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1993193919911949199219921990FEB 1939
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)62T0.6TTT0.00.00.00.0T0.00.40.6
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1993193919911949199219921990FEB 1939
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)480000000000000
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 PHOENIX, AZ (PHX)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.00TTTT1.700.721.200.284.401.011.5610.87
19730.131.361.690.070.10T1.30T0.000.001.360.006.01
19740.570.021.370.010.000.000.841.151.072.120.440.598.18
19750.020.330.630.43TT0.38T0.820.230.551.124.51
1976T0.470.400.671.060.091.480.121.690.700.430.857.96
19770.350.060.270.060.160.100.300.180.530.61T0.543.16
19782.332.212.140.20T0.011.441.79T0.352.302.4615.23
19792.160.091.780.020.760.040.341.180.090.090.120.136.80
19801.582.090.860.440.210.030.560.060.130.020.000.086.06
19810.711.080.980.200.03T1.140.110.181.340.950.006.72
19820.810.671.30T0.50T0.431.970.12T2.501.649.94
19830.701.173.170.180.000.000.382.482.430.710.431.1612.81
19840.310.000.000.910.180.185.150.873.360.310.712.9314.91
19850.950.180.460.17T0.000.980.211.600.921.590.867.92
19860.071.191.580.01T0.011.191.270.470.410.031.387.61
19870.672.060.280.090.060.011.080.450.570.471.041.628.40
19880.900.230.171.090.000.020.870.630.002.380.780.147.21
19891.19T1.250.00T0.000.131.110.470.460.140.194.94
19900.800.700.350.170.160.041.052.701.110.040.150.467.73
19910.630.562.050.000.00T0.140.120.811.161.251.638.35
19921.620.902.490.491.050.042.951.300.030.260.033.0814.24
19935.221.721.620.000.080.01T0.550.061.272.790.0213.34
19940.130.541.360.090.39T0.250.021.740.550.683.038.78
19951.410.341.040.290.09TT3.501.080.001.750.019.51
19960.251.030.55TTT1.040.340.540.370.230.024.37
19970.900.550.010.24TT0.171.390.450.070.060.834.67
19980.352.931.310.430.040.001.941.050.581.030.190.6810.53
19990.010.170.111.130.00T2.960.921.310.000.000.006.61
20000.01T2.980.000.000.340.280.580.013.170.500.007.87
20011.770.860.771.060.020.010.670.460.000.020.200.886.72
POR=106 YRS0.800.760.800.350.140.100.941.020.800.550.640.907.80
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 PHOENIX, AZ (PHX)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197251.459.170.671.478.387.894.489.984.871.958.152.172.5
197351.257.556.667.280.988.193.593.484.774.460.855.472.0
197454.056.764.570.680.292.292.491.287.275.961.550.673.1
197552.354.059.062.676.786.694.391.986.272.960.954.871.0
197655.460.761.568.780.787.991.690.783.074.064.155.672.8
197753.861.760.873.575.791.495.094.187.678.765.859.974.8
197856.658.765.669.278.590.994.691.486.378.661.551.773.6
197950.155.760.470.178.189.593.889.490.277.258.255.972.4
198056.660.660.769.876.088.995.692.287.375.664.161.374.1
198159.261.463.876.080.593.495.295.889.273.666.158.676.1
198253.960.162.472.580.488.193.793.786.773.561.954.173.4
198356.058.462.266.680.688.695.592.691.077.262.457.274.0
198457.460.167.670.787.088.991.791.287.571.461.953.774.1
198554.357.462.875.184.292.494.994.582.375.161.355.974.2
198661.461.069.374.282.392.892.394.584.174.765.056.475.7
198754.759.763.477.982.693.093.192.286.980.963.152.775.0
198855.162.566.373.081.493.196.293.987.482.464.455.776.0
198954.461.970.180.183.192.197.493.789.977.366.457.077.0
199055.656.667.276.281.193.893.690.887.678.765.953.675.1
199155.966.060.372.279.787.895.194.588.580.263.557.375.1
199256.462.164.777.083.190.192.892.390.579.861.553.875.3
199358.258.265.773.883.789.692.991.687.976.761.456.274.7
199456.858.165.071.878.392.293.995.386.973.158.055.373.7
199554.463.164.368.476.286.294.594.689.276.266.656.974.2
199655.862.365.174.183.091.995.294.184.374.964.556.575.1
199755.757.869.470.986.387.793.892.990.074.764.152.974.7
199856.654.161.966.776.285.494.594.787.974.162.754.472.4
199956.860.364.965.979.888.891.393.087.479.368.055.374.2
200058.160.963.175.284.891.095.092.590.372.556.957.374.8
200154.156.965.671.786.992.094.494.792.279.468.453.875.8
POR=106 YRS52.556.561.268.977.386.491.589.984.672.960.853.171.3

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 PHOENIX, AZ (PHX)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–730003820539542220025439001553
1973–740002156291333229775001093
1974–7500021112439388301191107401563
1975–760001515931029612313452001089
1976–77000211228533912214933001042
1977–78000042155254172672500715
1978–79000114840545525414330001436
1979–800001120427725413012935001040
1980–810001210812218113174800636
1981–8200015619633515199400842
1982–83000110333127218112053001061
1983–840000154236228139162300796
1984–8500071263453282221025001135
1985–86000014927411015866210760
1986–8700004326031817295400892
1987–88000098375311100602020966
1988-89000013528432113346000919
1989-9000013624329125376000900
1990-9100006534827527161500881
1991–92000341072332608956700786
1992-93000012734020518461000917
1993–940000125264246192541300894
1994–9500015211293320617448601028
1995–9600002224327811163000717
1996–970004667260284202393600934
1997–9800098336925029913877201227
1998–990004733222451276510420942
1999–00000053297214121110800803
2000–01000192382343302228745001175
2001–000068341
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 PHOENIX, AZ (PHX)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972011200212419691919780599259404094
19730001094997018948855983023604024
197402691824778258588216733651304285
19750012423746549138396402654513785
197664341694956928338045482899103965
1977036252953347979369076834347314521
197831921584227879288286444314904343
19790011191411741901763764397704186
198005218734472495685267534688134192
1981536403454898579439617312779554784
1982021242344816978998976582721204195
198321381124897159518617873888504429
1984021072036887248368216812084104311
1985017403166038269349205253194704547
19863522092825438448539215823075114648
1987330513965538468798506654994804820
1988103110826552085197290467854312435009
198914921045956682010138977513928705245
199052515033950687389580668343110104814
1991061222274656919379207125147004619
1992013543735677628688517714643004753
199311892715857468718326953692404484
199403592234218219049436642731004321
1995019581583656429239277333547904258
1996041702785648179439085833586044626
1997281852176656898998737563156204671
199800501363616199249286912951324019
1999076813846872482087567945315114384
20006760321624789939860764259004629
20010011225068581692092882345217705163
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 PHOENIX, AZ (PHX)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–730.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1973–740.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1974–750.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.00.0T
1975–760.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0T
1976–770.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1977–780.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1978–790.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1979–800.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1980–810.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1981–820.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1982–830.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1983–840.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1984–850.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.0T
1985–860.00.00.00.00.00.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.1
1986–870.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.0T
1987–880.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1988-890.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1989-900.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1990-910.00.00.00.00.00.40.00.0T0.00.00.00.4
1991–920.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.0T
1992-930.00.00.0T0.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.0T
1993–940.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.0T
1994–950.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1995–960.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1996–970.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1997–980.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1998–990.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.00.0T
1999–000.00.00.00.00.00.0
2000–01
2001–
POR=62 YRS0.00.00.0T0.0TTTTTT0.0T

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