Figure
1. Recent Temperature Conditions (up to 10/14/09)
Source: Western Regional Climate Center,
High Plains Regional Climate Center
The beginning of the 2010 water year, which began on Oct. 1, is off to a cold start, a refreshing change of pace from the hotter-than-average summer. In the s outhwestern deserts of Arizona, temperatures have been between 70–75 degrees Fahrenheit (Figure 1a). In southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico, temperatures have been 60–70 degrees F. The higher elevations in northern New Mexico and northwestern and northeastern Arizona have experienced chillier average temperature averaging between 40 to 55 degrees F. These temperatures have been 0–3 degrees below average across the eastern third of Arizona and north-central New Mexico (Figure 1b). The western half of Arizona and the higher elevations of northern and eastern New Mexico have seen temperatures between 3 and 6 degrees below average. The lower Colorado River valley has been extremely cool, averaging 6–9 degrees below average. The colder temperatures were the result of a strong upper level low pressure system that moved slowly across the West in early October.
The past 30 days have been 0–2 degrees cooler than average across most of Arizona and the southern half of New Mexico (Figures 1c–d). The cooling trend that began in October is quite significant, and follows a September that was the seventh warmest on record in central and southern Arizona. The northern half of New Mexico averaged between 2 and 4 degrees cooler than average.
Notes: The water year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following year. Water year is more commonly used in association with precipitation; water year temperature can be used to measure the temperatures associated with the hydrological activity during the water year.
Average refers to the arithmetic mean of annual data from 1971–2000. Departure from average temperature is calculated by subtracting current data from the average. The result can be positive or negative. The continuous color maps (Figures 1a, 1b, 1c) are derived by taking measurements at individual meteorological stations and mathematically interpolating (estimating) values between known data points. The dots in Figure 1d show data values for individual stations. Interpolation procedures can cause aberrant values in data-sparse regions. These are experimental products from the High Plains Regional Climate Center.
More Information:
For the most
recent versions these and maps of other climate variables, visit:
http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/ (High Plains Regional Climate Center).
For information on temperature and precipitation trends, visit: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/trndtext.shtml (NOAA-Climate Prediction Center).
For a list of Arizona weather stations, visit: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/climsmaz.html (Western Regional Climate Center).
For a list of New Mexico weather stations, visit: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/climsmnm.html (Western Regional Climate Center).
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