2001 San Diego, California (SAN)

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2001 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (SAN)

The city of San Diego is located on San Diego Bay in the southwest corner of southern California. The prevailing winds and weather are tempered by the Pacific Ocean, with the result that summers are cool and winters warm in comparison with other places along the same general latitude. Temperatures of freezing or below have rarely occurred at the station since the record began in 1871, but hot weather, 90 degrees or above, is more frequent.

Dry easterly winds sometimes blow in the vicinity for several days at a time, bringing temperatures in the 90s and at times even in the 100s in the eastern sections of the city and outlying suburbs. At the National Weather Service station itself, however, there have been relatively few days on which 100 degrees or higher was reached.

As these hot winds are predominant in the fall, highest temperatures occur in the months of September and October. Records show that over 60 percent of the days with 90 degrees or higher have occurred in these two months. High temperatures are almost invariably accompanied by very low relative humidities, which often drop below 20 percent and occasionally below 10 percent.

A marked feature of the climate is the wide variation in temperature within short distances. In nearby valleys daytimes are much warmer in summer and nights noticeably cooler in winter, and freezing occurs much more frequently than in the city. Although records show unusually small daily temperature ranges, only about 15 degrees between the highest and lowest readings, a few miles inland these ranges increase to 30 degrees or more.

Strong winds and gales associated with Pacific, or tropical storms, are infrequent due to the latitude.

The seasonal rainfall is about 10 inches in the city, but increases with elevation and distance from the coast. In the mountains to the north and east the average is between 20 and 40 inches, depending on slope and elevation. Most of the precipitation falls in winter, except in the mountains where there is an occasional thunderstorm. Eighty–five percent of the rainfall occurs from November through March, but wide variations take place in monthly and seasonal totals. Infrequent measurable amounts of hail occur in San Diego, but snow is practically unknown at the Weather Service Office location. In each occurrence of snowfall only a trace was recorded officially, but in some locations amounts up to or slightly exceeding a half–inch fell, and remained on the ground for an hour or more.

As on the rest of the Pacific Coast, a dominant characteristic of spring and summer is the nighttime and early morning cloudiness. Low clouds form regularly and frequently extend inland over the coastal valleys and foothills, but they usually dissipate during the morning and the afternoons are generally clear.

Considerable fog occurs along the coast, but the amount decreases with distance inland. The fall and winter months are usually the foggiest. Thunderstorms are rare, averaging about three a year in the city. Visibilities are good as a rule. The sunshine is plentiful for a marine location, with a marked increase toward the interior.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

SAN DIEGO, CA (SAN)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 23188

32 44′ 05″ N  117 10′ 07″ W  GRND: 78 BARO: 81  PACIFIC (UTC + 8)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3065.966.566.368.469.171.676.277.877.174.669.966.170.8
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5465.366.066.368.269.271.775.677.376.874.070.166.270.6
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM61889093989610195981111079788111
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195319951988198919531979198519551963196119761963SEP 1963
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5478.378.579.081.278.981.483.385.890.388.483.178.282.2
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3048.950.752.855.659.161.965.767.365.660.953.948.857.6
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5448.550.252.255.358.661.465.166.464.960.253.348.657.1
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM6129363941485155575143383429
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194919491971194519671967194819441948197119641987JAN 1949
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.5440.443.445.549.253.357.461.362.559.252.845.340.950.9
NORMAL DRY BULB3057.458.659.662.064.166.871.072.671.467.762.057.464.2
MEAN DRY BULB5456.858.059.261.763.966.570.571.970.967.161.857.563.8
MEAN WET BULB1851.352.554.256.358.861.264.566.165.061.154.850.458.0
MEAN DEW POINT1844.946.849.151.555.158.061.763.261.856.948.843.453.4
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.10.20.10.50.30.21.40.90.20.03.9
MAXIMUM 32300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
MINIMUM 3230*0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
MINIMUM 0300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS30245189177113735113019241092431256
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS3091092345105199240211107197984
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3063666767717475747369666469
HOUR 04 LST3070737575778182818076737076
HOUR 10 LST3055586060656969686661565462
HOUR 16 LST3056585959646666666563615862
HOUR 22 LST3070727272757880797875737175
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5672717068595868706968757368
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG (VISBY 1/4 MI)612.92.51.51.10.60.60.60.62.23.13.43.923.0
THUNDERSTORMS610.20.30.40.20.10.10.20.30.30.30.30.43.1
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE–SUNSET (OKTAS)564.14.24.24.24.64.43.63.23.23.53.33.73.9
MIDNIGHT–MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)323.94.44.54.15.15.04.34.04.03.83.43.54.2
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR5612.310.110.810.38.59.312.715.115.013.714.713.6146.1
PARTLY CLOUDY567.67.69.510.011.311.812.811.59.59.78.07.7117.0
CLOUDY5611.110.510.79.711.29.05.04.45.57.67.39.6101.6
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2930.0430.0329.9829.9629.9229.8929.9029.8929.8729.9330.0030.0329.95
MEAN SEA–LEVEL PRES. (IN)1830.0630.0630.0229.9729.9529.9229.9329.9229.9029.9530.0330.0729.98
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)386.06.67.47.87.87.87.67.57.26.66.05.67.0
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2330303030303030303030303030
MAXIMUM 2–MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)531383832262320202123263438
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)14172526172528291429130425
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200119982000199919982000199919972001199719981997MAR 2000
MAXIMUM 5–SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)537464537322523232428344346
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)14142525182427283329190514
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200120012000199919982000199720001997199719981997FEB 2001
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)301.801.531.770.790.190.070.020.100.240.371.451.579.90
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)619.097.656.963.711.790.870.242.131.902.905.827.609.09
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319981991198819771990199119771963194119651943JAN 1993
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)61T0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.010.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197619671997199319521981198219811979196719802000MAR 1997
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)612.652.612.401.981.500.820.232.131.001.392.443.073.07
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197819791952198819771990199120131986198619441945DEC 1945
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01306.35.36.64.32.21.10.50.61.52.35.05.541.2
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.30.20.30.1*0.00.0*0.00.00.30.31.5
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.0
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)59T0.0TT0.00.00.00.00.00.0TTT
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19491985199919851967APR 1999
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)59T0.0TT0.00.00.00.00.00.0TTT
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19491985199919851967APR 1999
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)510000000000000
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 SAN DIEGO, CA (SAN)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.070.10T0.020.100.38T0.020.440.583.161.616.48
19731.681.632.260.05TTTT0.020.011.630.197.47
19742.960.041.700.020.010.020.01TT1.030.142.208.13
19750.490.963.792.000.010.02TTT0.090.640.378.37
1976T5.400.991.330.270.020.020.011.000.380.751.0611.23
19772.360.060.610.011.790.03T2.13T0.500.051.679.21
19785.952.645.000.730.04T0.00T0.720.052.092.1919.41
19795.820.853.710.020.090.010.090.010.000.730.270.0211.62
19805.584.472.711.180.650.01T0.00T0.050.000.3114.96
19811.482.263.740.220.040.00T0.000.030.141.790.5410.24
19822.710.884.740.620.010.040.00T0.380.052.101.4312.96
19832.103.886.571.740.01T0.010.390.210.401.941.5318.78
19840.460.090.040.620.000.040.190.06T0.292.374.558.71
19850.520.770.580.32TT0.00T0.200.294.921.068.66
19860.752.593.121.170.00T0.010.001.041.391.160.9512.18
19871.681.531.040.780.03T0.030.010.701.741.332.7311.60
19880.891.370.593.710.080.00TTTT1.392.2310.26
19890.420.700.690.120.040.060.00T0.230.470.091.013.83
19902.521.130.250.760.510.87T0.01TT0.650.597.29
19911.062.466.960.050.01T0.240.010.280.690.051.7013.51
19921.813.344.420.280.070.040.030.050.000.180.032.5612.81
19939.094.731.220.000.010.410.03TT0.220.770.7817.26
19940.702.753.670.930.07T0.030.01T0.010.460.809.43
19958.061.933.810.960.590.460.050.00TT0.300.8817.04
19961.520.881.100.360.020.000.09T0.030.941.700.637.27
19973.020.310.000.28TTT0.000.850.021.171.357.00
19982.687.652.211.110.640.100.20T0.030.080.690.6616.05
19991.540.701.091.620.060.04T0.000.020.000.040.325.43
20000.173.671.000.54TT0.000.01T1.240.260.016.90
20013.282.380.630.760.010.00T0.000.000.000.950.468.47
POR=152 YRS2.191.721.900.790.190.080.030.080.190.351.141.3410.00
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 SAN DIEGO, CA (SAN)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197254.957.860.262.364.767.072.772.268.765.659.857.563.6
197355.659.958.161.563.468.069.170.568.866.860.658.263.4
197456.958.259.162.063.366.971.470.270.366.862.256.363.6
197556.156.457.558.762.265.069.468.971.565.960.456.962.4
197658.959.660.361.065.269.771.172.473.871.266.860.765.9
197760.361.757.561.461.965.871.673.172.268.964.963.365.2
197861.060.964.363.468.271.371.672.974.070.161.755.266.2
197956.956.960.163.465.670.271.873.976.368.762.460.665.6
198061.163.561.563.963.868.572.974.270.467.362.760.865.9
198161.362.261.164.467.372.975.675.873.767.163.560.367.1
198256.660.760.563.865.866.771.973.573.170.162.157.465.2
198360.760.962.062.466.268.172.677.476.872.264.460.667.0
198461.260.263.764.368.169.977.276.678.968.561.456.767.2
198557.057.258.963.664.869.075.372.469.867.960.158.064.5
198661.058.960.562.864.667.469.671.866.965.562.857.664.1
198755.458.059.163.464.765.867.169.969.969.561.853.963.2
198856.759.961.662.463.964.970.471.070.066.760.156.063.6
198954.756.759.865.663.766.070.171.070.466.363.158.763.8
199056.655.258.763.264.369.072.371.671.768.662.755.664.1
199157.459.456.561.762.164.167.468.969.468.062.357.362.9
199257.461.160.467.068.068.171.874.972.468.262.655.365.6
199356.958.061.363.866.068.669.870.269.067.361.657.064.1
199457.956.560.461.062.168.169.574.072.566.856.455.863.4
199556.961.460.461.562.064.869.071.971.567.163.258.364.0
199657.658.860.164.666.867.870.072.870.664.361.657.864.4
199758.058.461.662.568.767.569.372.975.268.764.057.465.4
199858.257.359.359.662.865.768.872.870.365.759.755.463.0
199957.557.858.358.960.562.868.568.067.068.860.557.862.2
200058.259.058.162.464.668.269.272.070.565.158.458.163.7
200154.754.958.958.563.767.669.069.668.266.361.455.562.4
POR=127 YRS55.656.658.060.362.565.268.870.269.065.260.857.062.4

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 SAN DIEGO, CA (SAN)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–73000291492242861312081076111196
1973–740006132205243184176855541090
1974–75000149726527323722518283101386
1975–76000191412461961501481151601031
1976–7700003912914394224103883823
1977–7800003755117117524380429
1978–790000102297244219153452061086
1979–800004751361175010461431591
1980–810006751331131011164010585
1981–820009571362581191396492793
1982–83000193228137110888390749
1983–84000066130123134514340551
1984–850004104250238219183601821078
1985–86000314521111817313285290896
1986–870071066223291197178722161071
1987–880000983382501471258553221118
1988–8900041412753132371583740141219
1989–900011367188252268185523911066
1990–9100038828422715225410496281236
1991–920002496231228115136810839
1992–930000842942401911114476977
1993–9400041032422142351471168511147
1994–950001224927624210613610587241237
1995–960003492002231711465460852
1996–97000451152162171851248101984
1997–980002652272032081721556991110
1998–9910013152293224198200189132641466
1999–004033130217212171206822301051
2000–01000271912083142811831913951439
2001–0004107289
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 SAN DIEGO, CA (SAN)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972000433682472301175301753
19730001017971331761217081633
1974000296920416916475190711
197500001181421242015480548
19761401033114719624026920010201212
19775902134212258224128408921
1978173841151942132512761661101276
19790010646169216283348124581215
19802133351511025328917086157998
198172902681244335343265802101431
19820763242582192712501641201061
19831101951992423923642315501455
19841301531107156387366422119401620
1985070221912832523515310460999
19862114292378152218733190630
198706529173571158154147100632
198805281625261761931616405699
198901326354816519316858170732
1990002621127233211209123250957
19910009111080130138122210521
1992012172991002163132281062001167
199300412471191551701268180722
19940010311001462892317600856
1995014181271332231997520683
199600453709216425117530190858
1997642312119831382523141234021116
199800106341272501674000625
199900014051181006912630435
20008508191011372261703901714
200103254901321491025340544
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 SAN DIEGO, CA (SAN)
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
1974–750.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1975–760.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
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
1984–850.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0T
1985–860.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T
1986–870.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
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
1990–910.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1991–920.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1992–930.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1993–940.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
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
1996–970.0
1997–980.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0
1998–990.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.0T
1999–000.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
2000–01
2001–
POR=57 YRS0.00.00.00.0TTT0.0T0.00.00.0T

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