2001 Tucson, Arizona (TUS)

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2001 TUCSON, ARIZONA (TUS)

Tucson lies at the foot of the Catalina Mountains, north of the airport. The area within about 15 miles of the airport station is flat or gently rolling, with many dry washes. The soil is sandy, and vegetation is mostly brush, cacti, and small trees. Rugged mountains encircle the valley. The mountains to the north, east, and south rise to over 5,000 feet above the airport. The western hills and mountains range from 500 to 4,000 feet.

The climate of Tucson is characterized by a long hot season, from April to October. Temperatures above 90 degrees prevail from May through September. Temperatures of 100 degrees or higher average 41 days annually, including 14 days each for June and July, but these extreme temperatures are moderated by low relative humidities. The temperature range is large, averaging 30 degrees or more a day.

More than 50 percent of the annual precipitation falls between July 1 and September 15, and over 20 percent falls from December through March. During the summer, scattered convective or orographic showers and thunderstorms often fill dry washes to overflowing. On occasion, brief, torrential downpours cause destructive flash floods in the Tucson area. Hail rarely occurs in thunderstorms. The December through March precipitation occurs as prolonged rainstorms that replenish the ground water. During these storms, snow often falls on the higher mountains, but snow in Tucson is infrequent, particularly in accumulations exceeding an inch in depth.

From the first of the year, the humidity decreases steadily until the summer thunderstorm season, when it shows a marked increase. From mid–September, the end of the thunderstorm season, the humidity decreases again until late November. Occasionally during the summer, humidities are high enough to produce discomfort, but only for short periods. During the hot season, humidity values sometimes fall below 5 percent.

Tucson lies in the zone receiving more sunshine than any other section of the United States. Cloudless days are commonplace, and average cloudiness is low.

Surface winds are generally light, with no major seasonal changes in velocity or direction. Occasional duststorms occur in areas where the ground has been disturbed. During the spring, winds may briefly be strong enough to cause some damage to trees and buildings. Wind velocities and directions are influenced by the surrounding mountains, and the general slope of the terrain. Usually local winds tend to be in the southeast quadrant during the night and early morning hours, veering to northwest during the day. Highest velocities usually occur with winds from the southwest and east to south.

While dust and haze are frequently visible, their effect on the general clarity of the atmosphere is not great. Visibility is normally high.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is November 29 and the average last occurrence in the spring is February 28.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

TUCSON, AZ (TUS)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 23160

32 07′ 53″ N  110 57′ 19″ W  GRND: 2578  BARO: 2581  MOUNTAIN (UTC + 7)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3063.967.872.881.289.999.699.496.893.384.372.764.382.2
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5364.668.373.181.490.199.699.096.894.184.672.965.382.5
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM618792991041081171141121071029384117
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199919571988198920001990199519932000199319991954JUN 1990
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5378.081.386.393.5100.8107.9107.7104.4102.195.584.877.693.3
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3038.641.044.650.458.067.973.672.167.556.645.639.854.6
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5338.640.944.550.558.467.873.772.267.756.745.139.154.6
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM6116202027384759614426241616
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194919551965194519501955199219561965197119791974DEC 1974
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.5326.629.232.438.946.456.867.066.558.743.532.127.143.8
NORMAL DRY BULB3051.354.458.765.874.083.886.684.580.470.459.252.068.4
MEAN DRY BULB5351.554.658.966.074.383.786.384.580.970.758.952.068.5
MEAN WET BULB1841.843.946.549.554.659.867.268.963.454.746.141.853.2
MEAN DEW POINT1829.029.929.529.032.637.955.060.051.440.231.929.938.0
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.74.016.828.129.328.622.37.5*0.0137.3
MAXIMUM 32300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
MINIMUM 32305.93.31.10.00.00.00.00.00.0*1.14.716.1
MINIMUM 0300.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS304253022299770000271884031678
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS3005331212865646706054621941402954
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3048433727222142474238435038
HOUR 05 LST3062585341353358645753566353
HOUR 11 LST3040352921171734383431344131
HOUR 17 LST3031262216131328322824283425
HOUR 23 LST3056494130242347524644495843
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5280818692939278808788857985
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG (VISBY 1/4 MI)610.30.20.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.20.41.1
THUNDERSTORMS610.40.30.50.71.62.713.713.75.52.00.50.341.9
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE–SUNSET (OKTAS)12.40.01.6
MIDNIGHT–MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)10.01.6
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR11.05.012.027.015.0
PARTLY CLOUDY11.03.03.01.02.0
CLOUDY14.01.01.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2927.4027.3827.3227.2827.2527.2527.3127.3127.3027.3327.3727.4027.32
MEAN SEA–LEVEL PRES. (IN)1830.0429.9829.9229.8529.7829.7629.8229.8429.8329.8929.9830.0329.89
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)367.87.98.48.98.78.68.47.88.08.08.07.68.2
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2214141414141414141414141414
MAXIMUM 2–MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)633373335333855483838323255
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)28202012190907121111121207
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619981998200019971999200120001999200019961999JUL 2001
MAXIMUM 5–SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)640484346435160604353374060
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)27222125240707121126121007
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619981998200119972001200120001998199619961998JUL 2001
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.870.700.720.300.180.202.372.191.671.060.671.0712.00
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)614.813.202.261.661.111.566.177.935.114.981.905.027.93
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319981952195119922000198119551964198319521965AUG 1955
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)61T0.000.000.000.000.000.040.230.000.000.000.000.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197019721956197219741983199519761953198219801981JUN 1983
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)611.461.491.191.280.891.273.932.483.053.581.862.123.93
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199319421952199919431954195819611964198319681994JUL 1958
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01304.83.64.32.01.72.010.69.55.63.23.35.055.6
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.00.10.00.00.00.00.50.30.40.3*0.11.7
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)300.30.30.30.10.00.00.00.00.00.00.*0.41.4
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)614.73.95.72.0T0.0TTTT6.46.86.8
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19871965196419761992199519951996199119581971DEC 1971
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)604.33.95.72.0T0.0TTTT6.46.86.8
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19871965196419761992199519951990199119581971DEC 1971
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)521450000000155
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19871965196419581971DEC 1971
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0300.10.20.10.*0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.10.5
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 TUCSON, AZ (TUS)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.000.000.010.000.240.683.492.931.094.511.300.6114.86
19730.061.602.200.020.090.501.740.54T0.000.470.007.22
19740.93T0.55T0.000.014.441.041.692.120.810.3311.92
19750.360.130.950.270.110.002.380.321.26T0.340.526.64
19760.060.530.380.570.230.101.180.231.680.370.480.476.28
19771.830.040.740.430.080.060.760.801.412.360.331.3310.17
19782.051.750.890.010.610.220.781.591.661.861.582.7315.73
19792.940.420.640.040.670.532.042.600.020.330.010.1510.39
19800.732.901.220.08T0.231.781.952.930.220.000.1912.23
19811.290.711.980.560.260.166.170.801.100.060.610.0013.70
19821.560.061.260.050.510.132.132.512.690.001.301.5913.79
19831.700.941.280.14T0.001.984.244.284.981.710.6121.86
19840.620.000.000.360.061.052.924.191.810.770.453.3015.53
19851.711.080.200.45T0.073.141.971.132.030.950.1512.88
19860.981.131.30T0.440.061.823.560.310.500.421.2811.80
19870.591.640.830.800.740.160.372.792.300.340.441.5012.50
19880.410.530.351.150.020.151.693.640.802.090.750.0511.63
19890.960.230.620.000.130.061.420.900.021.840.120.186.48
19900.960.710.380.100.030.645.452.701.630.580.231.5414.95
19911.150.911.400.000.000.200.442.171.540.730.801.4410.78
19921.211.802.120.191.110.070.934.550.940.03T3.4716.42
19934.811.500.490.000.590.020.264.930.460.810.980.1414.99
19940.021.031.140.040.520.260.410.451.460.761.833.7111.63
19951.411.320.540.280.15T0.043.712.290.360.860.2211.18
19960.010.820.32T0.00T1.881.873.681.740.19T10.51
19970.930.670.020.470.440.020.512.321.430.380.492.8810.56
19980.173.201.640.39T0.004.061.701.100.240.670.4513.62
19990.01TT1.340.000.164.153.050.97T0.00T9.68
20000.100.190.93T0.001.561.591.700.024.981.36T12.43
20011.240.460.880.840.240.541.090.850.330.690.050.607.81
POR=102 YRS0.870.850.750.350.220.282.112.191.310.750.690.5110.88
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 TUCSON, AZ (TUS)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197250.455.865.065.872.381.686.682.978.666.553.049.067.3
197347.653.451.659.773.081.484.384.779.670.758.452.366.4
197450.251.960.166.174.386.983.583.077.869.157.547.067.3
197549.850.755.357.969.880.584.285.880.069.559.353.066.3
197652.658.458.264.874.583.483.985.377.767.860.052.268.2
197750.756.955.767.070.884.787.086.482.073.361.756.969.4
197853.153.661.865.273.185.888.184.780.973.858.549.769.0
197948.453.856.465.672.283.187.583.484.273.056.655.068.3
198054.357.957.565.671.584.988.684.680.569.659.558.169.4
198154.857.157.169.173.486.185.286.480.768.162.255.069.6
198250.754.757.766.172.380.584.883.979.267.057.750.167.1
198352.953.857.360.473.881.686.984.082.269.557.453.567.8
198451.853.760.564.079.983.184.282.981.566.357.851.568.1
198550.353.158.768.775.985.887.586.177.470.058.052.968.7
198658.756.963.869.076.886.685.586.079.069.659.852.370.3
198750.954.257.970.174.386.387.485.179.975.158.950.369.2
198853.059.461.468.076.486.887.985.980.475.359.251.970.5
198949.958.265.073.877.485.490.086.684.571.161.753.071.4
199051.852.861.869.775.288.785.082.682.273.161.651.169.6
199152.359.855.465.273.581.587.586.680.774.058.954.369.1
199251.657.359.470.876.784.586.885.183.674.256.151.469.8
199355.254.061.368.678.185.088.085.581.472.658.853.470.2
199453.755.262.968.675.689.290.490.384.270.556.753.970.9
199552.660.761.264.872.683.388.487.382.972.463.154.070.3
199653.658.861.168.979.087.488.686.477.770.461.053.770.6
199752.453.664.865.879.783.188.085.884.270.060.748.669.7
199853.250.857.961.472.981.886.586.582.670.760.552.068.1
199953.656.961.462.374.783.884.085.281.874.765.451.369.6
200055.057.458.870.380.284.588.284.984.868.252.854.370.0
200149.752.860.266.679.385.686.285.984.473.262.949.469.7
POR=102 YRS50.753.758.265.173.382.586.184.280.269.858.451.567.8

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 TUCSON, AZ (TUS)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–73000963584895333204101741902399
1973–740002321639045136216149501657
1974–75000532185524653932992172902226
1975–760003819136537818022188501466
1976–770004517839043522128765901630
1977–780001117242365313144642401270
1978–7900015213470511311260762001876
1979–800002625230232320222784301419
1980–810006619721031022024431001278
1981–8200034106304437291223461001451
1982–8300041211456371309239168601801
1983–840000232348402323140110001555
1984–850004922141344832820041001700
1985–86000921736919324411722601177
1986–870001115438742929922524001529
1987–880000188452366171161461201396
1988-890000220402461199829401377
1989-900002510736140234015616301410
1990-91000515242738414029647301454
1991–920005619532540821516924001392
1992-93000026141829829912928001433
1993–9400051863553452729442001299
1994–9500024255335377123143841701358
1995–9600036433234417313523001074
1996–97000911473463863156677001428
1997–9800052146502360392232153301840
1998–9900020136398346220126155701408
1999–0000008341630821718626001236
2000–010006035732347033517895101819
2001–0000134479
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 TUCSON, AZ (TUS)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972018282236506678563414150102713
1973000212724956036154452062622685
1974001887301664581564387185102788
1975004111844716046514581822702592
19762014893065575976363861393402760
19770051331985976916695172662303099
19780054762836307216164832932803184
1979001101249551706576580282603052
19800411092116067426154742163733018
19810841592676396336704761372723022
198204482244471622594437112002570
1983008362885036886005231451002801
198400687469549601562503961202885
19850171593456337046603791731403075
198622388150378653643657431158303186
198702121842976447026304523251203260
1988213581423746587166574713275113470
1989016892813976197806765922211603687
199006631643277196255535222625603297
1991016582745017036754793452103063
1992004204372590683627563291103335
199310221424136047216415002501133308
199404341563327337947885842031103639
19950831852615587336985442411203171
199601241484406797406703872663323390
199702651054625497186515812122603371
1998101954255512672671536203912933
199901188331857359863551230610313148
2000311194479595725624599164003385
200100371504506236676555862657903512
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 TUCSON, AZ (TUS)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–730.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.0T
1973–740.00.00.00.00.00.00.40.0T0.00.00.00.4
1974–750.00.00.00.00.0T0.0T0.50.00.00.00.5
1975–760.00.00.00.0TT0.00.03.82.00.00.05.8
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
1978–790.00.00.00.00.0T1.20.00.00.00.00.01.2
1979–800.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0T
1980–810.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0T
1981–820.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.0T0.00.00.0T
1982–830.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.00.0T
1983–840.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
1984–850.00.00.00.00.0T0.02.20.00.00.00.02.2
1985–860.00.00.00.00.0T0.0T0.00.00.00.0T
1986–870.00.00.00.00.00.04.70.0T0.00.00.04.7
1987–880.00.00.00.00.03.60.00.00.00.00.00.03.6
1988-890.00.00.00.00.0T0.0T0.00.00.00.0T
1989-900.00.00.00.00.00.02.72.30.0T0.00.05.0
1990-910.0TT0.00.00.60.0T0.30.00.00.00.9
1991–920.00.00.0T0.0T0.00.0T0.0T0.0T
1992-930.0T0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0T
1993–940.0T0.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.00.0T
1994–950.00.00.00.0T0.00.0T0.00.00.00.0T
1995–96TT0.00.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0T
1996–970.00.0T0.00.00.0T0.00.0T0.00.0T
1997–980.00.00.0T0.00.00.00.0TT0.00.0T
1998–990.00.00.00.00.0T0.00.00.0T0.00.0T
1999–000.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
2000–010.00.00.00.00.00.0TT0.00.00.00.0T
2001–0.00.00.00.00.0T
POR=60 YRSTTTT0.10.30.30.20.20.1T0.01.2

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