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Climatological Report (Annual)
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
000
CXUS55 KVEF 032042 CCA
CLALAS
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS, NV
1242 PM PST THU JAN 3 2013
...................................
...THE LAS VEGAS NV CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2012...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1937 TO 2013
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 117 07/19/2005
07/24/1942
LOW 8 01/13/1963
01/25/1937
HIGHEST 114 07/11 113 1 112 08/24
07/10
LOWEST 30 12/20 27 3 26 02/03
02/02
AVG. MAXIMUM 81.9 80.1 1.8 79.6
AVG. MINIMUM 60.5 58.7 1.8 57.9
MEAN 71.2 69.4 1.8 68.8
DAYS MAX >= 90 147 131.3 15.7 130
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MIN <= 32 3 7.5 -4.5 11
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 10.72 1941
MINIMUM 0.56 1953
TOTALS 5.31 4.19 1.12 2.34
DAILY AVG. T 0.01 -0.01 0.01
DAYS >= .01 17 26.5 -9.5 24
DAYS >= .10 9 11.2 -2.2 5
DAYS >= .50 3 2.5 0.5 1
DAYS >= 1.00 2 0.2 1.8 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 1.98 8/21-8/22
DAILY TOTAL 1.65 8/22
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 16.7 1949
24 HR TOTAL 9.0 01/04/1974 TO 01/05/1974
SNOW DEPTH 8 01/05/1974
TOTALS T 0.3 -0.3 T
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS >= TRACE 2 0.2 1.8 2
DAYS >= 1.0 0 0.1 -0.1 0
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 0 0
24 HR TOTAL T 12/26
10/11
STORM TOTAL T 12/26
10/11
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1659 1951 -292 2040
SINCE 7/1 673 847 -174 909
COOLING TOTAL 4032 3568 464 3540
SINCE 1/1 4032 3568 464 3540
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 10/21/1949
LATEST 04/12/1967
EARLIEST 12/03
LATEST 02/05
..................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 8.9
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 7/198
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 44/230 DATE 03/06
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 63/230 DATE 03/06
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.30
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 204
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 143
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 19
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 27
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 25 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 3 RAIN 8
LIGHT RAIN 41 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 1
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 0
LIGHT SNOW 1 SLEET 0
FOG 7 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 0
HAZE 14
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
&&
UNLESS NOTED...ALL STATISTICS ARE FOR THE OFFICIAL LAS VEGAS CLIMATE
STATION LOCATED AT MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.OFFICIAL RECORDS
ALL DATE BACK TO JANUARY 1937. THIS DATA IS PRELIMINARY AND MAY BE
REVISED BY THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER AFTER A FINAL REVIEW.
...2012 BROKE THE JACKPOT FOR THE WARMEST YEAR EVER IN LAS VEGAS...
2012 WAS A RECORD WARM AND VERY WET YEAR FOR LAS VEGAS. THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE OF 71.2 DEGREES BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD FOR THE
WARMEST YEAR IN LAS VEGAS OF 71.0 DEGREES SET IN 2007. THE REASON
FOR THE WARMTH WAS LARGELY DUE TO THE EXCEPTIONALLY WARM LOW
TEMPERATURES RECORDED DURING 2012. THE AVERAGE LOW OF 60.5 DEGREES
RANKS AS THE WARMEST EVER FOR ANY YEAR AND BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD
OF 60.2 DEGREES SET IN 2007. THE AVERAGE HIGH WAS 81.9 DEGREES WHICH
TIES 1950 AND 1989 FOR THE 6TH HIGHEST EVER FOR ANY YEAR. THE
WARMEST AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 83.0 DEGREES WHICH WAS SET IN
1940 AND TIED IN 1947.
THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE OF 2012 WAS 114 DEGREES ON JULY 10TH AND
ALSO ON JULY 11TH. THIS WAS THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN LAS
VEGAS SINCE JULY 6TH 2007 WHEN IT REACHED 115 DEGREES. THERE WERE A
TOTAL OF 81 DAYS DURING THE YEAR WITH A TRIPLE DIGIT HIGH
TEMPERATURE WHICH IS 11 DAYS ABOVE NORMAL. A TOTAL OF 8 DAYS HAD
HIGHS OF 110 DEGREES OR GREATER WHICH IS EXACTLY NORMAL. THE HIGHEST
TEMPERATURE OF THE YEAR IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY AT AN OFFICIAL
WEATHER STATION WAS AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE ON THE
10TH WHEN IT REACHED 115 DEGREES.
THE COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE YEAR WAS 47 DEGREES ON DECEMBER
20TH. ONLY 5 DAYS HAD A HIGH TEMPERATURE BELOW 50 DEGREES WHICH WAS
THE LOWEST SUCH TOTAL SINCE 2005 WHEN THERE WERE ONLY 3 SUCH DAYS.
THE WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE DURING 2012 WAS 91 DEGREES ON JULY 11TH
2012. THIS WAS THE ONLY DAY WHICH RECORDED A LOW TEMPERATURE IN THE
90S DURING THE YEAR. 60 DAYS HAD LOWS OF 80 DEGREES OR BETTER WHICH
IS 27 DAYS ABOVE NORMAL. A RECORD 135 DAYS HAD LOWS OF 70 DEGREES OR
BETTER...WHICH EDGED OUT THE TOTAL OF 134 DAYS SET IN 2009.
THE COLDEST READING OF THE YEAR WAS 30 DEGREES ON DECEMBER 20TH.
THERE WERE ONLY 3 DAYS ALL YEAR WITH A LOW AT OR BELOW FREEZING AND
ALL WERE IN DECEMBER. 2012 WILL TIE 2004...2005...2006 AND 2010 FOR
BEING THE ONLY YEARS IN WHICH THE TEMPERATURE HAS NEVER FALLEN BELOW
30 DEGREES. THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 32 DEGREES ON DECEMBER 20TH SET A
RECORD FOR THE LATEST FIRST FREEZE OF THE SEASON EVER IN LAS VEGAS
DATING BACK TO 1937. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS DECEMBER 19TH IN 1995
AND 2002. IN ADDITION...A RECORD FREEZE-FREE STRETCH WAS LAS VEGAS
IN WHICH THE TEMPERATURE REMAINED ABOVE FREEZING FOR A 378 DAY
STRETCH THAT RAN FROM DECEMBER 8TH 2011 THROUGH DECEMBER 19TH 2012.
THIS EASILY BROKE THE OLD RECORD 367 DAYS THAT RAN FROM DECEMBER
17TH 1994 THROUGH DECEMBER 18TH 1995. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE
YEAR AT AN OFFICIAL WEATHER STATION IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY WAS 24
DEGREES AT NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE ON JANUARY 14TH.
THE TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR 2012 WAS 5.31 INCHES WHICH WAS 1.12 INCH
ABOVE NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 20TH WETTEST YEAR EVER IN LAS VEGAS
SINCE RECORDS STARTED. WHAT WAS REMARKABLE ABOUT 2012 WAS ALTHOUGH
PRECIPITATION WAS ABOVE NORMAL...THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN WHICH IT FELL
WAS ACTUALLY BELOW NORMAL. A TRACE OR MORE OF PRECIPITATION WAS
RECORDED ON 42 DAYS WHICH IS 5 BELOW NORMAL. THIS WAS THE LOWEST
SUCH TOTAL SINCE 2007 WHEN THERE WERE 35 SUCH DAYS. FOR MEASURABLE
PRECIPITATION - DEFINED AS 0.01 INCH OR MORE - THERE WERE ONLY 17
DAYS WHICH IS 10 DAYS BELOW NORMAL AND THE LOWEST TOTAL SINCE 2002.
2 DAYS HAD AN INCH OR MORE OF PRECIPITATION...WHICH TIES 1976 AND
1992 FOR THE ALL-TIME YEARLY RECORD. THE WETTEST DAY IN 2012 WAS ON
AUGUST 22ND WHEN 1.65 INCHES FELL. THIS ALSO RANKS AS THE SECOND
WETTEST DAY EVER IN LAS VEGAS.
PRECIPITATION TOTALS ACROSS THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY FOR 2012 WERE
GREATEST IN THE SOUTHEAST PORTION. TOTALS IN MUCH OF HENDERSON
EXCEEDED 5 INCHES WITH A FEW SPOTS EXCEEDING 8 INCHES...EVIDENT OF
HOW MUCH THE MONSOON SEASON PLAYED A ROLE IN PRECIPITATION THIS
YEAR. THE DRIEST PORTION WAS IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE 2 TO 4 INCHES
ONLY FELL.
LAS VEGAS WASH AT PABCO ROAD 9.93 INCHES CCRFCD
ANTHEM 8.19 INCHES CCRFCD
SUMMERLIN NORTHWEST 7.83 INCHES CCRFCD
215 & CHEYENNE 7.63 INCHES CCRFCD
SNWA FACILITY - HENDERSON 7.20 INCHES CCRFCD
WEST ALIANTE 6.88 INCHES NWS EMPLOYEE
HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT 6.46 INCHES AWIS
NWS OFFICE 6.15 INCHES NWS STAFF
TENAYA & WASHINGTON 5.80 INCHES COCORAHS
ROBINDALE & PECOS 5.74 INCHES COCORAHS
MOUNTAIN`S EDGE 5.73 INCHES NWS EMPLOYEE
NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT 5.62 INCHES ASOS
EAST LAKE MEAD PARKWAY 5.15 INCHES COCORAHS
FLAMINGO & BOULDER HIGHWAY 5.13 INCHES COCORAHS
FLOYD LAMB PARK 4.92 INCHES CCRFCD
SUMMERLIN 4.71 INCHES COCORAHS
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE 4.29 INCHES ASOS
OAKEY & JONES 4.20 INCHES COCORAHS
DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS 4.02 INCHES CCRFCD
NLV - LOSEE & CRAIG 3.90 INCHES CO-OP OBSERVER
CHEYENNE PEAKING BASIN 2.28 INCHES CCRFCD
SNOW FELL ON SEVERAL DATES IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY DURING THE YEAR.
AT MCCARRAN A TRACE WAS REPORTED ON DECEMBER 26TH WHEN SNOW PELLETS
FELL. SNOW WAS REPORTED IN THE PROVIDENCE AREA IN THE NORTHWEST
BRIEFLY ON FEBRUARY 16TH...BUT IT DID NOT ACCUMULATE. ON THE
AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 10TH SHOWERS DEVELOPED OVER THE SPRING
MOUNTAINS AND MOVED INTO THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
LAS VEGAS VALLEY. IN MANY AREAS THE PRECIPITATION FELL AS ALL SNOW
OR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW AS WELL AS ICE PELLETS. REPORTS OF SNOW
WERE RECEIVED FIRST AT MOUNTAIN`S EDGE AND LATER FROM SUMMERLIN AND
OTHER AREAS IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE VALLEY. A FEW FLAKES OF
SNOW FELL AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE MIXED WITH RAIN.
SNOW AND OTHER FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS REPORTED IN THE LAS VEGAS
VALLEY DURING THE MONTH ON SEVERAL INSTANCES. ON DECEMBER
15TH...SNOW WAS REPORTED JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK IN THE FAR NORTHWEST
PORTIONS OF CENTENNIAL HILLS. JUST OUTSIDE OF THE LAS VEGAS CITY
LIMITS...ACCUMULATING SNOW WAS REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 95 NEAR LEE
CANYON ROAD WITH PHOTOS SHOWING BETWEEN A HALF AN INCH AND AN INCH
OF SNOW. AT THE NEARBY DESERT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE STATION AT
CORN CREEK...A TOTAL OF 0.2 INCH WAS MEASURED. ON THE EVENING OF
DECEMBER 18TH...SCATTERED SHOWERS PRODUCED SNOW FLURRIES AND GRAUPEL
MAINLY IN THE WEST...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH SIDES OF THE VALLEY. IN THE
MOUNTAIN`S EDGE NEIGHBORHOOD GRAUPEL EVEN COVERED THE GROUND. SNOW
PELLETS FELL IN MANY AREAS OF THE CENTRAL LAS VEGAS VALLEY JUST
AFTER 7 AM ON DECEMBER 26TH INCLUDING MCCARRAN AIRPORT AND THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. FINALLY ON DECEMBER 30TH A REPORT
OF A SNOW AND RAIN MIX WAS RECEIVED FROM NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE IN
THE MORNING.
HAIL ALSO WAS UNIQUE THIS YEAR IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY. MCCARRAN
AIRPORT RECORDED HAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN OCTOBER ON THE
11TH. ELSEWHERE IN THE VALLEY...HAIL AS LARGE AS THREE-QUARTERS OF
AN INCH FELL ON JANUARY 21ST WHICH SET A RECORD FOR NEVADA FOR THE
LARGEST HAIL TO EVER FALL IN JANUARY. HOWEVER THE OUTSTANDING EVENT
OF THE YEAR WITH RESPECT TO HAIL TOOK PLACE LATE IN THE EVENING ON
JULY 15TH WHEN A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED HAIL UP TO 1.25 INCH IN
DIAMETER - THE SIZE OF A QUARTER - FROM SUMMERLIN TO NORTHWEST LAS
VEGAS TO NORTH LAS VEGAS. THIS RESULTED IN AN ESTIMATED 50 MILLION
DOLLARS IN DAMAGES MAINLY DUE TO HAIL DAMAGED VEHICLES. SOME 10000
INSURANCE CLAIMS WERE REPORTED FOR HAIL DAMAGE. THE 50 MILLION
DOLLAR DAMAGE ESTIMATE WOULD TIE THE JULY 18TH 1994 HILTON SIGN
THUNDERSTORM EVENT AS THE COSTLIEST WEATHER-RELATED DAMAGE EVENT
EVER IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY NOT ACCOUNTING FOR INFLATION.
THE HIGHEST WIND GUST OF THE YEAR WAS ON MARCH 6TH WHEN A STRONG
COLD FRONT BLASTED THROUGH THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY ACCOMPANIED BY
BLOWING SAND AND DUST. A PEAK WIND GUST OF 63 MPH WAS CLOCKED AT
MCCARRAN AIRPORT. NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED...POWER OUTAGES TOOK
PLACE AND SOME STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS REPORTED INCLUDING 3 DAMAGED
SOLAR PANELS AT THE NEW LAS VEGAS CITY HALL.
THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 8 DEATHS IN THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY IN WHICH HEAT
WAS CONSIDERED THE PRIMARY FACTOR. THERE WAS 1 DEATH DUE TO COLD
WEATHER. A TOTAL OF 2 PEOPLE DIED FROM FLASH FLOODS - ONE IN
HENDERSON ON AUGUST 22ND AFTER A BOY FELL INTO A WASH - AND A SECOND
ON SEPTEMBER 11TH WHEN A MAN WAS SWEPT OFF A FRONT LOADER ON THE
DESERT ROSE GOLF COURSE. THE FLASH FLOOD OF SEPTEMBER 11TH WAS THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOOD SINCE AUGUST 19TH 2003. DAMAGES FOR THE
SEPTEMBER 11TH FLASH FLOOD WERE ESTIMATED AT 20 MILLION
DOLLARS...RANKING IT BASED ON UNADJUSTED NUMBERS ONLY SECOND TO THE
FLASH FLOOD OF JULY 8TH 1999. THE FLASH FLOOD OF AUGUST 22ND CAUSED
AN ESTIMATED 5 MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES.
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE REDUCED TO SEA LEVEL WAS GREATEST ON JANUARY
28TH WHEN IT REACHED 30.45 INCHES AND WAS LOWEST ON MAY 24TH WHEN IT
REACHED 29.27 INCHES.
$$
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