2001 Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC)

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2001 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (SLC)

Salt Lake City is located in a northern Utah valley surrounded by mountains on three sides and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest. The city varies in altitude from near 4,200 to 5,000 feet above sea level.

The Wasatch Mountains to the east have peaks to nearly 12,000 feet above sea level. Their orographic effects cause more precipitation in the eastern part of the city than over the western part.

The Oquirrh Mountains to the southwest of the city have several peaks to above 10,000 feet above sea level. The Traverse Mountain Range at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley rises to above 6,000 feet above sea level. These mountain ranges help to shelter the valleys from storms from the southwest in the winter, but are instrumental in developing thunderstorms which can drift over the valley in the summer.

Besides the mountain ranges, the most influential natural condition affecting the climate of Salt Lake City is the Great Salt Lake. This large inland body of water, which never freezes over due to its high salt content, can moderate the temperatures of cold winter winds blowing from the northwest and helps drive a lake/valley wind system. The warmer lake water during the winter and spring also contributes to increased precipitation in the valley downwind from the lake. The combination of the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Mountains often enhances storm precipitation in the valley.

Salt Lake City normally has a semi–arid continental climate with four well–defined seasons. Summers are characterized by hot, dry weather, but the high temperatures are usually not oppressive since the relative humidity is generally low and the nights usually cool. July is the hottest month with temperature readings in the 90s.

The mean diurnal temperature range is about 30 degrees in the summer and 18 degrees during the winter. Temperatures above 102 degrees in the summer or colder than –10 degrees in the winter are likely to occur one season out of four.

Winters are cold, but usually not severe. Mountains to the north and east act as a barrier to frequent invasions of cold continental air. The average annual snowfall is under 60 inches at the airport but much higher amounts fall in higher bench locations. Heavy fog can develop under temperature inversions in the winter and persist for several days.

Precipitation, generally light during the summer and early fall, is heavy in the spring when storms from the Pacific Ocean are moving through the area more frequently than at any other season of the year.

Winds are usually light, although occasional high winds have occurred in every month of the year, particularly in March.

The growing season is over five months in length. Yard and garden foilage generally are making good growth by mid–April. The last freezing temperature in the spring averages late April and the first freeze of the fall is mid–October.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (SLC)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 24127

40 47′ 13″ N  111 58′ 05″ W  GRND:  4221  BARO:  4224  MOUNTAIN (UTC + 7)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3036.443.652.261.371.982.892.289.479.266.150.837.863.6
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5437.443.752.361.572.183.092.590.379.565.850.138.563.9
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM736269788695104107106100897569107
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219721960199219971979196019941979196319991995JUL 1960
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5452.058.769.779.088.297.6101.299.493.782.466.554.778.6
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3019.324.631.437.945.655.463.761.851.040.230.921.640.3
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5420.224.831.438.146.154.462.661.451.340.029.921.940.2
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM73-22-30214253540372716-14-21-30
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194919331966193619651962196819651965197119551932FEB 1933
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.542.27.118.127.533.541.851.349.937.827.915.46.126.5
NORMAL DRY BULB3027.934.141.849.758.869.177.975.665.253.240.829.752.0
MEAN DRY BULB5428.834.242.049.859.168.777.575.965.652.940.030.252.1
MEAN WET BULB1826.630.537.342.749.655.260.059.653.144.234.827.143.4
MEAN DEW POINT1822.225.229.133.139.143.247.447.342.334.928.422.534.6
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.00.00.69.023.619.13.80.00.00.056.1
MAXIMUM 323010.83.80.60.00.00.00.00.00.0*0.59.024.7
MINIMUM 323027.422.616.36.50.80.00.00.00.44.717.827.5124.0
MINIMUM 0301.70.40.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.93.0
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS301150865719464215510010837372610945765
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS300000231744003291147001047
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3074706053494136384656667455
HOUR 05 LST3078777066655952546168747967
HOUR 11 LST3070645244383127303543587047
HOUR 17 LST3069594739332622232941587143
HOUR 23 LST3078766761575043455466737862
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE6345546468728084838172534066
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)734.32.30.30.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.93.611.5
THUNDERSTORMS730.30.71.42.25.35.46.87.64.21.90.50.336.6
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)625.95.75.35.14.73.42.92.92.93.85.05.84.5
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)326.05.45.35.14.63.53.13.13.03.75.25.84.5
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR695.45.27.06.79.013.815.014.314.812.57.65.6116.9
PARTLY CLOUDY696.56.98.39.410.29.98.89.67.57.06.45.996.4
CLOUDY6919.016.115.714.011.86.34.04.04.78.513.116.4133.6
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2925.8225.7825.6925.6825.6625.6925.7325.7425.7625.7925.7925.8325.75
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1830.2130.1229.9829.9329.8629.8429.8729.8829.9430.0530.1030.2230.00
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)547.68.29.59.79.49.49.59.79.18.48.17.78.9
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)3814141615151616161514141414
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)335473837434845434037383848
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)17183316283225102735291732
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199919992001200020012001200120012001200120002001JUN 2001
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)341624546545554525344554662
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)28183315331826161432281818
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199919992001200120012001200119992001200120002001FEB 1999
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)301.111.231.912.121.800.930.810.861.281.441.291.4016.18
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)733.234.893.974.904.763.842.573.667.043.913.344.377.04
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319981983194419771998198219681982198120011983SEP 1982
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)730.090.120.100.45TTTTT0.000.010.080.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196119461956198119341994196319441951195219391976OCT 1952
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)731.361.761.832.412.031.882.351.962.301.761.531.822.41
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195319981944195719421948196219321982198420011972APR 1957
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01309.78.610.310.08.75.94.85.76.16.38.29.894.1
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.00.00.00.20.20.10.1*0.2*0.00.10.9
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)3012.39.811.76.81.1T0.00.00.22.16.513.764.2
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)7350.332.141.926.47.5TTT4.020.433.335.250.3
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319981977197419751995199619931971198419941972JAN 1993
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)7316.518.015.416.26.4TTT4.018.411.018.118.4
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619981944197419751995199119931971198419301972OCT 1984
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)532517148400009111425
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19931949199819741978198419851972JAN 1993
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0303.73.33.31.90.30.00.00.00.10.52.14.219.4
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 SALT LAKE CITY, UT (SLC)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19721.220.481.183.620.140.150.060.211.362.741.363.2215.74
19731.490.912.671.641.740.191.071.164.070.672.522.2620.39
19741.801.650.974.570.390.280.180.320.032.030.901.3414.46
19751.281.243.442.462.581.810.280.100.081.911.711.0317.92
19760.631.901.902.470.991.241.550.820.160.570.030.0812.34
19770.760.643.100.594.760.060.611.851.850.831.201.4217.67
19782.331.963.472.901.570.060.060.922.51T1.730.5818.09
19790.721.050.801.040.840.350.400.630.051.290.980.558.70
19802.872.252.460.892.700.421.340.260.721.741.170.3717.19
19810.640.812.110.453.681.030.330.230.483.911.031.8916.59
19821.080.532.391.631.860.662.570.567.041.870.751.9222.86
19831.191.363.971.632.580.621.022.641.031.622.234.3724.26
19840.500.951.764.431.171.861.721.491.723.701.450.8021.55
19850.910.851.800.642.951.300.850.031.981.612.631.4216.97
19860.861.282.324.553.390.420.851.322.750.391.170.1019.40
19871.531.411.520.792.410.190.790.360.051.181.171.1012.50
19881.060.130.941.842.160.030.040.220.070.012.170.629.29
19890.561.571.770.461.830.220.390.900.491.820.730.1310.87
19900.570.352.171.141.650.660.640.460.560.691.240.5610.69
19911.110.611.112.712.761.090.320.862.552.102.170.4017.79
19920.781.241.110.961.860.450.290.350.471.032.461.0712.07
19933.231.351.373.991.141.380.460.222.770.540.88
19940.621.531.282.941.29T0.060.610.322.242.961.4315.28
19951.811.082.352.073.681.490.320.211.330.530.851.2016.92
19963.091.542.712.201.320.090.410.021.031.451.721.7317.31
19972.271.620.972.221.771.730.840.631.501.870.870.6416.93
19981.634.892.972.091.043.841.570.461.531.251.271.2723.81
19991.290.960.803.092.590.820.250.700.450.020.701.8413.51
20002.171.800.800.761.620.360.422.001.862.001.311.2416.34
20010.781.501.552.460.221.121.130.530.050.923.341.4415.04
POR=127 YRS1.311.371.842.011.820.900.620.800.921.401.331.3015.62
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 SALT LAKE CITY, UT (SLC)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197229.837.846.948.160.571.977.275.863.953.639.422.752.3
197319.632.341.847.661.670.276.676.661.554.140.533.451.3
197426.731.445.248.158.873.479.274.266.554.743.431.752.8
197527.435.541.144.354.364.878.873.465.453.437.332.950.7
197627.934.138.149.362.267.678.772.366.451.041.829.451.6
197726.835.837.754.155.073.277.375.066.455.642.537.953.1
197836.339.848.050.256.069.278.074.064.055.541.026.853.2
197922.132.543.251.160.270.178.975.671.456.736.532.952.6
198033.736.041.552.757.067.577.674.166.352.641.333.652.8
198132.138.344.153.457.669.678.278.068.550.544.336.454.3
198229.832.343.346.556.768.075.578.464.048.838.129.950.9
198335.239.444.645.955.867.776.677.867.856.043.031.953.5
198423.825.840.148.561.667.378.577.266.549.542.729.951.0
198524.225.640.855.763.972.580.776.562.753.137.427.751.7
198629.041.447.748.857.273.574.277.960.251.340.929.852.7
198726.536.142.855.962.771.675.774.766.556.440.830.553.4
198825.034.841.452.059.675.780.976.563.860.041.128.153.2
198922.325.345.854.859.969.281.175.166.453.440.531.452.1
199033.432.845.054.957.872.078.976.272.054.041.421.053.3
199124.436.542.847.955.668.379.178.464.453.640.030.051.8
199225.639.349.357.165.670.475.477.366.556.034.127.153.6
199324.929.545.548.563.463.769.972.565.552.634.831.550.2
199436.835.345.652.163.074.380.780.870.551.332.631.654.6
199534.942.344.148.655.564.376.078.067.551.546.137.153.8
199633.030.845.350.659.973.480.577.864.753.943.437.154.2
199732.335.346.048.363.470.175.178.767.852.842.227.953.3
199837.937.540.448.158.662.679.777.668.151.042.929.652.8
199935.837.444.845.556.068.478.377.363.554.545.731.053.2
200035.139.842.054.561.772.180.878.964.652.331.430.753.7
200127.334.445.450.163.670.979.479.170.255.042.626.353.7
POR=127 YRS28.433.441.149.458.468.377.375.565.253.240.331.251.8

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 SALT LAKE CITY, UT (SLC)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730011034776113071400909711515135676262
1973-74101403337329751181935603502214415657
1974-75055431663810251157819734613334925787
1975-7601623658259891144890826464112675745
1976-7707374326891096117581383833330405724
1977-7801173282670835880697522433293364732
1978-7901214428471411781327902666414196575894
1979-80007270846987964835723371250775330
1980-81010573797049651013742641346233465136
1981-8200344446148791087909668548259625504
1982-83701344958001080916710624569314365685
1983-846049276650101812691130763493157765887
1984-850098480662108412601097740285109175832
1985-860014036082111511110655527477283145538
1986-876020341672010851186803679291123175529
1987-8800512607191060123587072338122235524
1988-8900142158711113813181105587313193355700
1989-90015443557291036971895612297232305216
1990-91001734770413591249792682508289325979
1991-9200783477421078122074148124757335024
1992-93111442285921116912379865964891511086009
1993-94193823919021031863823590397100125213
1994-95301941696310289276286424862881045504
1995-96007541555985698698660742817555092
1996-97001233846428581009827583495115175053
1997-98606138267711458357637545042021185447
1998-9900574286571089898766619578295635450
1999-0000953225731047920723704311154154864
2000-010099388100210561162850598450123625790
2001-00273106621194
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 SALT LAKE CITY, UT (SLC)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972000034213386340850001058
1973000038226370367443001048
19740002313034462981083001191
19750000989439269801400900
197600003415143123787300943
19770001222543893281230001108
19780000211674112991200001018
197900025421443933620821001274
198000091015939930199100978
19810003121904124091452001173
19820000111583384231090001039
19830000371233704051384001077
19840003581534263831474001174
19850001178249493364790001274
1986000047277296407660001093
198700025602223383091030001057
19880000613345013631129001380
19890001343171506337920001162
199000021924743835123511001303
199100013138442425634001076
199200015812043404019314001148
19930000108751782461021300722
199400016463004985001890001549
199500002893474091585001010
199600022426449040512548001358
199700007117832443115115001170
1998000313534623991560001086
1999000022172416388586001062
2000000461233497438912001326
20010009872494524451918001441
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 SALT LAKE CITY, UT (SLC)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.06.01.135.220.93.617.82.60.00.087.2
1973-740.00.00.01.319.519.620.117.26.726.4TT110.8
1974-750.00.00.0TT8.812.57.922.813.17.50.072.6
1975-760.00.00.00.118.011.88.615.818.73.50.0T76.5
1976-770.00.00.00.0T1.28.63.241.94.80.60.060.3
1977-780.00.00.00.28.58.215.615.56.22.54.60.061.3
1978-790.00.01.00.017.48.713.812.43.67.7T0.064.6
1979-800.00.00.00.04.68.524.52.919.91.2T0.061.6
1980-810.00.00.0T3.93.38.92.711.10.3TT30.2
1981-820.00.00.04.42.411.515.34.510.29.5TT57.8
1982-830.00.00.00.21.020.16.21.013.39.05.00.055.8
1983-840.00.00.00.05.934.27.618.56.725.1TT98.0
1984-850.00.0T20.46.612.912.711.48.00.70.00.072.7
1985-860.00.00.0T27.214.73.91.71.05.5T0.054.0
1986-870.00.0T0.04.41.716.49.93.02.10.00.037.5
1987-880.00.00.00.00.611.016.30.46.1T0.90.035.3
1988-890.00.0T0.08.512.59.427.52.1T0.00.060.0
1989-900.00.00.02.72.41.78.28.511.80.7TT36.0
1990-910.00.0T0.04.814.310.91.21.913.7T0.046.8
1991-92TTT2.811.46.812.24.70.20.40.00.038.5
1992-930.0T0.00.014.216.950.313.2T2.41.7T98.7
1993-940.0T0.00.06.18.36.215.03.10.10.00.038.8
1994-950.00.00.0T33.313.611.113.37.36.6TT85.2
1995-960.00.00.00.50.11.445.022.611.24.9T0.085.7
1996-97T0.00.05.13.516.016.211.07.14.4TT63.3
1997-980.00.00.01.7T6.66.332.114.83.70.0T65.2
1998-990.00.0T0.02.16.68.48.63.03.5T0.032.2
1999-000.0T0.00.05.518.015.05.16.2T0.50.050.3
2000-010.00.00.00.017.012.96.513.15.39.90.00.064.7
2001-T0.00.0T18.819.9
POR=72 YRSTT0.11.27.011.813.59.89.14.90.6T58.0

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