Temperature

Temperatures since the water year began on October 1 have averaged between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the southwest deserts and along the lower Colorado River, and 35 to 50 degrees F on the Colorado Plateau in northeastern Arizona and most of New Mexico. Temperatures in the higher elevations of both states have been between 30 and 35 degrees F (Figure 1a). These temperatures have been generally 0–2 degrees F warmer than average across most of Arizona and New Mexico. There have been a few pockets of colder-than-average temperatures, including central Arizona and southwestern and north central New Mexico, where temperatures have been 0–4 degrees F below average. The cold spots in New Mexico have occurred in the areas receiving more precipitation relative to surrounding areas.

During the past 30 days, temperatures were largely 0–4 degrees F warmer than average across both states. In the southeast corner of Arizona, temperatures averaged between 4 and 6 degrees F above average. Warm conditions also have prevailed along the Arizona and New Mexico border and in south-central New Mexico (Figures 1c–d). Only western Yavapai County was colder than average. The unseasonably warm temperatures occurred because the storm tracks generally have remained north or south of Arizona and New Mexico. Although there have been several cold air outbreaks across the Southwest, they have been short lived.