Temperature

Temperatures since the water year began on October 1, 2010, averaged between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the southwest deserts and along the Arizona–California border, 50 to 55 degrees F in southeastern Arizona and along the southern New Mexico border, 40 to 50 degrees F in central New Mexico, and 30 to 45 degrees F across the Colorado Plateau and northern New Mexico (Figure 1a).  Despite some extreme cold events, the Southwest was generally warmer than average this winter (Figure 1b). Temperatures were 0 to 1 degree F warmer than average across the Colorado Plateau and along the Arizona–California border, 0 to 2 degrees F warmer in central Arizona and New Mexico, and 1 to 4 degrees F warmer than average along eastern and south-central New Mexico. In contrast, temperatures in Sierra and Grant counties in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern San Juan County were 0 to 2 degrees F cooler than average. In northwest Arizona, a few extremely cold storms caused the six-month average temperature to fall below average.

Temperatures during the past 30 days also were affected by storms. The warmest areas occurred in regions that experienced the least rainfall, such as southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico, where temperatures were 2 to 8 degrees warmer than average (Figures 1c–d). The warmest area in southeastern New Mexico also occurred where no storms passed over the past 30 days.