000
CXUS53 KICT 010932
CLMSLN

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
330 AM CST TUE JAN 1 2013

...................................

...THE SALINA KS CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2012...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1894 TO 2012

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              81   12/06/1939
 LOW              -24   12/22/1989
HIGHEST            66   12/02                         62  12/31
                                                          12/18
LOWEST              6   12/29                         10  12/23
                        12/26
                        12/10
AVG. MAXIMUM     46.5              42.4     4.1     43.5
AVG. MINIMUM     22.1              22.3    -0.2     23.8
MEAN             34.3              32.3     2.0     33.7
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      5               6.1    -1.1        3
DAYS MIN <= 32     26              26.8    -0.8       28
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               1.3    -1.3        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         3.92   1913
 MINIMUM           MM   MM
TOTALS           0.11              0.94   -0.83     2.27
DAILY AVG.       0.00              0.03   -0.03     0.07
DAYS >= .01         4               5.1    -1.1        6
DAYS >= .10         0               2.3    -2.3        5
DAYS >= .50         0               0.4    -0.4        2
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.1    -0.1        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.05   12/14 TO 12/14

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     942              1012     -70      961
 SINCE 7/1       1777              1964    -187     1885
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
.................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.5
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    44/350    DATE  12/19
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    55/350    DATE  12/19

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.20
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR           22
NUMBER OF DAYS PC              8
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          1

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     62

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN                3     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          1     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                0     SNOW                       1
LIGHT SNOW                5     SLEET                      0
FOG                      13     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      2
HAZE                     10

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.


&&

 ...FIRST WINTER STORM OF 2012-2013 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS DECEMBER 2012...

THE FIRST WINTER STORM OF THE 2012-2013 SEASON INVADED CENTRAL KANSAS ON
THE 19TH AND 20TH. ONLY 1 TO 3 INCH ACCUMULATIONS RESULTED BUT NORTHWEST
WINDS SUSTAINED BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH WITH GUSTS THAT REACHED AROUND 55
MPH PRODUCED A BLIZZARD IN SEVERAL AREAS. OCCASIONALLY THE WIND-DRIVEN
SNOW WAS MIXED WITH SLEET TO MAKE TRAVEL QUITE DANGEROUS FROM THE NIGHT
OF THE 19TH TO THE MORNING OF THE 20TH. FORTUNATELY THE VICIOUS CYCLONE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS EVENT SPRINTED EAST ACROSS KANSAS TO PRODUCE A
SHORT-LIVED EVENT.

IT APPEARED THAT MOST OF SOUTHERN KANSAS WOULD EXPERIENCE A WHITE...BUT
WILD...CHRISTMAS AS AN EVEN STRONGER CYCLONE SURGED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY. HOWEVER...THE EXTREMELY INTENSE
CYCLONE TOOK A MORE SOUTHERLY TRACK AND THEREFORE KEPT ALL VARIANTS OF
SEVERE WEATHER SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST OF KANSAS. IT WAS THIS SECOND CYCLONE
THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POWERFUL TORNADOES THAT STRUCK THE DEEP
SOUTH CHRISTMAS DAY AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE WIDESPREAD...VERY HEAVY SNOWS
AND STRONG WINDS THAT TORE THROUGH SO MUCH OF THE MIDWEST AND THEN THE
NORTHEASTERN U.S.

ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES WERE ABOVE NORMAL FOR MUCH OF THE MONTH...DECEMBER
NONE-THE-LESS SAW 3 POWERFUL COLD FRONTS SURGE SOUTHEAST ACROSS KANSAS.
THE FIRST ARRIVED ON THE 9TH AND SENT TEMPERATURES TUMBLING TO BETWEEN 1
BELOW AND 7 DEGREES ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS THE MORNING OF THE 10TH. ONLY
TRACE AMOUNTS OF PRECIPITATION ACCOMPANIED THE FRONT AS IT SURGED ACROSS
THE STATE.

THE SECOND ARRIVED ON THE 19TH AND 20TH AND THIS WOULD BE THE FRONT THAT
PRODUCED THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER OF THE 2012-2013 SEASON AS
DISCUSSED IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH.

FOR CENTRAL AND MUCH OF SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS...THE THIRD ARRIVED JUST IN
TIME FOR CHRISTMAS AND ALTHOUGH IT DID SO WITH LITTLE FANFARE FROM A
SNOWFALL STANDPOINT...IT NONE-THE-LESS PACKED QUITE A PUNCH AS IT SENT
TEMPERATURES TUMBLING INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS THE MORNING OF THE 26TH. RUSSELL ACTUALLY CHILLED OUT
WITH A LOW OF 8 DEGREES CHRISTMAS MORNING THEN CHILLED EVEN FURTHER WITH
A LOW OF 3 ABOVE ON THE 26TH. IT WAS ON THE 26TH THAT WICHITA RECORDED
THEIR FIRST SINGLE DIGIT LOW TEMPERATURE OF THE WINTER WHEN THE MERCURY
DROPPED TO 9 DEGREES AS DID WINFIELD.

THE YEAR ENDED IN A SLICK...MESSY MANNER AS A WINTER STORM SPREAD LIGHT
TO MODERATE SNOW ACROSS KANSAS AND NEIGHBORING STATES. ON OCCASION THE
LIGHT SNOW WAS MIXED WITH LIGHT RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WHICH MADE MANY
ROADS AND HIGHWAYS SLICK.

HOW TIME FLIES...FOR IT DOESN`T SEEM THAT LONG AGO THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO
WELCOME 2012...AND NOW 2013 HAS ARRIVED. A NARRATIVE DISCUSSING THE
HIGHLIGHTS...AND LOW LIGHTS...OF 2012 WILL BE ISSUED THE MIDDLE OF NEXT
WEEK.

$$

ES