2001 Spokane Washington (GEG)

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2001 SPOKANE WASHINGTON (GEG)

Spokane lies on the eastern edge of the broad Columbia Basin area of Washington which is bounded by the Cascade Range on the west and the Rocky Mountains on the east. The elevations in eastern Washington vary from less than 400 feet above sea level near Pasco where the Columbia River flows out of Washington to over 5,000 feet in the mountain areas of the extreme eastern edge of the State. Spokane is located on the upper plateau area where the long gradual slope from the Columbia River meets the sharp rise of the Rocky Mountain Ranges.

Much of the urban area of Spokane lies along both sides of the Spokane River at an elevation of approximately 2,000 feet, but the residential areas have spread to the crests of the plateaus on either side of the river with elevations up to 2,500 feet above sea level. Spokane International Airport is situated on the plateau area 6 miles west–southwest and some 400 feet higher than the downtown business district.

The climate of Spokane combines some of the characteristics of damp coastal type weather and arid interior conditions. Most of the air masses which reach Spokane are brought in by the prevailing westerly and southwesterly circulations. Frequently, much of the moisture in the storms that move eastward and southeastward from the Gulf of Alaska and the eastern Pacific Ocean is precipitated out as the storms are lifted across the Coast and Cascade Ranges. Annual precipitation totals in the Spokane area are generally less than 20 inches and less than 50 percent of the amounts received west of the Cascades. However, the precipitation and total cloudiness in the Spokane vicinity is greater than that of the desert areas of south–central Washington. The lifting action of the air masses as they move up the east slope of the Columbia Basin frequently produces the cooling and condensation necessary for formation of clouds and precipitation.

Infrequently, the Spokane area comes under the influence of dry continental air masses from the north or east. On occasions when these air masses penetrate into eastern Washington the result is high temperatures and very low humidity in the summer and sub–zero temperatures in the winter. In the winter most of the severe arctic outbursts of cold air move southward on the east side of the Continental Divide and do not affect Spokane.

In general, Spokane weather has the characteristics of a mild, arid climate during the summer months and a cold, coastal type in the winter. Approximately 70 percent of the total annual precipitation falls between the first of October and the end of March and about half of that falls as snow. The growing season usually extends over nearly six months from mid–April to mid–October. Irrigation is required for all crops except dry–land type grains. The summer weather is ideal for full enjoyment of the many mountain and lake recreational areas in the immediate vicinity. Winter weather includes many cloudy or foggy days and below freezing temperatures with occasional snowfall of several inches in depth. Sub–zero temperatures and traffic–stopping snowfalls are infrequent.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is October 6 and the average last occurrence in the spring is May 4.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

SPOKANE, WA (GEG)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 24157

47 37′ 17″ N  117 31′ 40″ W  GRND: 2381  BARO: 2384  PACIFIC (UTC + 8)

ELEMENTPROJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3033.240.647.757.065.874.783.182.572.058.641.433.857.5
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5432.039.047.457.166.374.083.282.372.658.241.733.257.2
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM54596371909610110310898866756108
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197119951960197719861992199819611988199719991980AUG 1961
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5445.951.261.873.684.390.296.696.088.775.155.747.272.2
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3020.825.929.634.741.949.254.454.345.836.028.821.736.9
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5420.625.329.635.242.749.354.854.346.436.528.722.437.1
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM54-22-24-717243337352210-21-25-25
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197919961989196619541984198119652000199119851968DEC 1968
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.540.07.516.325.731.138.944.343.533.623.913.82.523.4
NORMAL DRY BULB3027.133.338.745.953.962.068.868.458.947.335.127.847.3
MEAN DRY BULB5426.332.138.546.154.461.769.068.459.647.435.227.847.2
MEAN WET BULB1727.629.735.740.946.952.055.951.849.441.233.426.340.9
MEAN DEW POINT1725.226.030.033.638.843.345.041.239.834.630.724.034.4
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.0*0.32.18.47.21.00.00.00.019.0
MAXIMUM 323014.24.60.90.00.00.00.00.00.00.14.113.837.7
MINIMUM 323026.522.420.810.71.70.00.00.00.89.519.926.6138.9
MINIMUM 0302.30.5*0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.32.15.2
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS301175888815573344139305622354989711536842
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS30000004914816140000398
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3082797061585444455467838665
HOUR 04 LST3085848177767464637179878777
HOUR 10 LST3083806957534941435166838663
HOUR 16 LST3078695544413627283549768252
HOUR 22 LST3084817465635845465670858768
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE4828415561656780787255292354
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)549.56.93.01.20.80.50.20.30.84.08.58.444.1
THUNDERSTORMS540.00.00.30.71.62.82.42.10.90.30.10.011.2
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)17.2
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR12.03.03.06.0
PARTLY CLOUDY13.02.03.01.0
CLOUDY14.03.010.010.04.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2727.5727.5427.4727.4927.4827.4927.5227.5127.5527.5827.5327.5827.53
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1730.1330.0930.0129.9829.9329.9429.9629.9529.9930.0630.0830.1530.02
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)398.49.19.710.09.39.38.78.28.18.18.68.38.8
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2305052222222222222205050522
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)643444646443741313840374146
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)26212325262525202625222223
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200019992000199719972000199820011999199919981998MAR 2000
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)652535254484551394747474954
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)24222423262725272425232223
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200019992000200019972000199819961999199919981998APR 2000
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)301.981.491.491.181.411.260.670.720.730.992.152.4216.49
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)544.963.943.813.085.713.062.331.832.054.055.105.135.71
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195919611995194819481964199019761959195019731964MAY 1948
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)540.380.350.310.080.200.16TTT0.030.220.60T
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198519881965195619821960199419881990198719761976JUL 1994
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)541.481.111.081.511.672.071.801.091.121.231.411.602.07
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195419631995200019481964199019591973199419601951JUN 1964
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.013013.110.811.18.99.27.74.55.15.77.112.814.7110.7
PRECIPITATION 1.0030*0.00.00.00.00.1*0.0*0.0*0.10.2
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)3014.26.73.60.90.20.00.00.00.00.36.415.147.4
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)5356.928.515.36.63.5T0.00.0T6.124.742.056.9
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1950197519621964196719941991195719551964JAN 1950
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)5313.011.06.14.93.5T0.00.0T6.19.012.113.0
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1950199319891964196719941991195719731951JAN 1950
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)523942162000004122342
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1969196919691990195719851951FEB 1969
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0304.72.51.40.30.*0.00.00.00.00.12.15.016.1
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 SPOKANE WA (GEG)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19721.741.131.051.091.991.560.250.870.860.190.881.9213.53
19732.050.480.770.421.340.57T0.191.440.975.103.7817.11
19743.791.792.220.801.030.230.710.040.180.122.592.5416.04
19752.533.121.831.781.411.451.600.930.032.231.942.4221.27
19761.282.040.830.971.240.780.791.830.050.590.220.6011.22
19770.750.521.150.131.711.450.111.251.420.442.124.5215.57
19782.531.640.772.622.811.221.761.710.930.132.021.0519.19
19791.112.191.030.691.600.780.851.010.781.221.151.9414.35
19801.961.900.911.062.340.990.210.790.840.641.673.7217.03
19811.001.411.570.852.021.920.510.040.591.530.962.5114.91
19821.611.671.492.230.200.851.050.251.771.481.862.7917.25
19831.892.072.200.610.922.841.850.960.791.334.802.3822.64
19840.991.371.801.752.011.890.070.270.560.764.262.2818.01
19850.380.931.390.281.130.670.260.191.641.402.230.7111.21
19863.082.021.581.331.080.480.440.151.650.462.251.0315.55
19871.590.882.181.120.900.592.271.810.010.031.374.9317.68
19881.760.351.572.151.501.120.23T1.630.114.351.7516.52
19890.821.342.870.722.170.410.401.610.181.581.660.9514.71
19902.451.010.851.343.111.912.331.03T3.050.841.6919.61
19911.720.812.311.351.721.130.580.170.010.343.081.2314.45
19922.121.760.430.650.281.511.090.330.360.813.022.1614.52
19931.400.861.131.901.360.482.081.240.280.420.681.8013.63
19941.430.830.491.641.370.90T0.100.452.792.241.5713.81
19952.741.603.810.931.332.171.080.630.661.500.772.6319.85
19962.442.951.612.151.781.190.340.800.793.274.044.1025.46
19971.671.402.402.562.270.630.800.140.921.671.991.0017.45
19982.081.591.210.893.090.840.260.270.210.273.783.2817.77
19991.893.270.690.440.731.360.131.07T0.892.062.2614.79
20001.961.611.642.162.220.910.35T1.120.641.130.9314.67
20010.630.661.371.710.791.100.280.260.172.102.612.0313.71
POR=120 YRS2.041.581.381.131.391.260.500.590.781.222.042.2116.12
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 SPOKANE WA (GEG)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197222.630.741.442.056.962.068.171.155.447.238.325.446.8
197327.034.941.146.256.562.071.269.159.747.233.733.348.5
197424.135.438.546.450.266.067.868.260.548.036.430.547.7
197523.624.734.041.752.759.272.464.161.046.933.830.945.4
197629.632.135.145.254.558.568.865.463.446.835.829.647.1
197722.035.138.250.951.665.067.071.255.146.534.026.246.9
197827.634.042.245.751.462.768.365.956.646.628.719.045.7
197910.528.840.445.554.762.770.470.063.151.130.535.246.9
198020.734.538.651.755.857.869.264.158.447.436.333.247.3
198132.833.940.945.752.057.065.171.559.745.939.929.747.8
198226.032.140.343.554.266.567.669.859.546.131.727.347.1
198335.838.143.046.357.161.965.572.357.149.739.316.248.5
198430.534.541.744.050.159.269.170.156.743.435.820.446.3
198521.424.935.948.056.261.875.064.953.344.719.519.343.7
198630.131.642.844.955.366.264.072.654.849.034.826.347.7
198726.535.141.851.157.265.166.666.262.849.538.125.948.8
198824.735.439.748.954.661.168.768.458.953.336.327.048.1
198928.821.836.648.953.164.368.764.860.147.038.031.046.9
199033.430.240.949.752.860.770.468.565.345.139.021.148.1
199125.739.236.845.851.656.668.770.261.846.234.232.847.5
199231.838.945.548.858.968.067.869.657.449.534.322.949.5
199321.925.437.845.559.860.260.264.258.750.029.430.945.3
199435.629.141.849.156.760.873.069.463.446.832.430.349.0
199531.037.339.945.556.860.167.963.961.243.940.228.648.0
199625.428.736.446.349.660.570.068.156.045.333.224.845.4
199728.431.739.243.356.759.967.671.061.947.338.629.347.9
199830.738.141.548.056.162.575.371.765.146.539.928.650.3
199932.234.939.944.950.659.966.270.359.147.441.431.648.2
200027.933.539.048.253.061.067.967.655.846.326.924.746.0
200127.226.839.243.755.458.768.471.163.345.939.928.147.3
POR=120 YRS26.931.939.547.655.662.469.368.659.548.536.429.748.0

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 SPOKANE WA (GEG)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-733618292545795121911718387345582861526644
1973-7417471935469339781265824814554455976723
1974-7541221345198521062127611229536943751737223
1975-762275136554933104810919469225883172136845
1976-7720717455687110891324832824436409666572
1977-785756289563921119711548627015764121016889
1978-79379725256210831424168410117565773131347930
1979-8041491423102991813658808093922832116446
1980-8119771955438549779928677415703952436473
1981-8273720958474710881202912761639328766626
1982-83621719358299611638977476725582851136285
1983-84552230468765150810658807156214601946963
1984-8521182646628701381134511178955012801287482
1985-86064343622136314091076927680595357677503
1986-8781431148890211931186831710417253866462
1987-885150116474799120612408507754773301736541
1988-894716240361856117111131205873473364656784
1989-90227614955480510489769687394543731666330
1990-91374254610774135612127168665684062486889
1991-9215161085749189921024750598477206615739
1992-9332602324819161297133111028345781921657220
1993-9415183217457106310519049987134692621606528
1994-95261381558970107110457717715782621706316
1995-9621881466487421120121710458805564711437077
1996-973549281603949124111309287946422641547070
1997-98351511654978510981058747721505276905995
1998-99020101565748111910108367695944481866396
1999-007536181540703103011439087994963631426416
2000-01514328557211341245116810607956343202017508
2001-33201005887441136
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 SPOKANE WA (GEG)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720000284113821310000430
19730000316721617739000530
1974000001371341277000405
19750000072565720000340
197600000241439333000293
1977000182721262540000472
197800000421441319000326
1979000017321716639000496
1980000132156566300227
19810000098221360000364
19820000212814817132000481
198300004626772351000385
1984000032815518123100391
198500001536317680000436
1986000065109572478000486
1987000820941109753100383
19880000126316912867000439
19890000049145789000281
1990000004221315768000480
199100000013918720000346
199200002515912420911800536
199300003627116434000172
1994000093728015943000528
1995000014291195938000259
1996000001619815017000381
1997000014912220930600390
19980000622325234110000697
1999000074111821014000390
2000000002914612916000320
20010000291914621354000461
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 SPOKANE WA (GEG)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.00.8T4.76.53.50.5T0.00.016.0
1973-740.00.00.00.823.69.115.04.42.50.40.40.056.2
1974-750.00.00.00.00.316.630.928.57.65.1T0.089.0
1975-760.00.00.03.911.46.915.36.34.60.40.00.048.8
1976-770.00.00.00.00.14.26.82.52.7TT0.016.3
1977-780.00.00.00.011.230.319.16.62.2TT0.069.4
1978-790.00.00.00.015.414.816.510.63.4TT0.060.7
1979-800.00.00.00.03.910.416.65.91.10.40.00.038.3
1980-810.00.00.00.01.26.82.63.3TT0.30.014.2
1981-820.00.00.0T0.813.023.32.22.16.0T0.047.4
1982-830.00.00.0T5.417.48.15.5T0.2T0.036.6
1983-840.00.00.00.05.724.85.38.01.91.30.80.047.8
1984-850.00.00.01.112.024.74.614.89.6TT0.066.8
1985-860.00.00.00.423.78.314.713.8T0.2T0.061.1
1986-870.00.00.00.05.07.911.71.1TTT0.025.7
1987-880.00.00.00.01.520.39.11.21.6TT0.033.7
1988-890.00.00.00.010.916.310.519.09.4TT0.066.1
1989-900.00.00.0T5.21.110.318.02.63.5T0.040.7
1990-910.00.00.00.01.214.315.91.19.50.20.00.042.2
1991-920.00.0T0.84.92.49.01.40.0T0.00.018.5
1992-930.00.00.00.011.140.218.815.12.1TTT87.3
1993-940.00.00.0T3.76.40.98.20.5T0.0T19.7
1994-950.00.00.00.813.76.33.94.40.7T0.00.029.8
1995-960.00.00.022.7
1996-97
1997-986.48.51.61.8T0.00.0
1998-990.00.00.0T0.811.28.714.73.82.70.60.042.5
1999-000.00.00.00.02.19.721.36.71.1T0.3
2000-010.00.00.0T10.915.19.68.32.22.50.00.048.6
2001-0.00.00.00.712.521.9
POR=52 YRS0.00.0T0.46.414.615.37.43.70.60.1T48.5

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