SoCal Sets New Record Temperatures on Xmass

Mercury (!) rises above 86 degrees at Oceanside, CA

Warm, dry Santa Ana winds drove temperatures to record or near-record highs in southern California on Wednesday.

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States)

• High Temperature for Wednesday: 86ºF (30ºC) at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, CA

• Low Temperature for Wednesday: -22ºF (-30ºC) at Mount Washington, NH

Source: NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD – Issued 7 pm EST Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Long Beach reported highs of above 83 degrees, 2 degrees above the 1972 daily record for Xmas, according to NWS.

As of December 24, 2013 California had broken or tied a total of 43  daily high temperatures for the month.

Santa Ana Winds

The arrival of Santa Ana winds coupled with very low relative humidity prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue Red Flag Warnings for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will continue across the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties and associated coast and valley areas through Thursday afternoon. The offshore winds will strengthen into Thursday morning with gusts up to 40 – 45 mph.

Poor relative humidity recoveries are expected tonight with many locations remaining below 25 percent. On Thursday, conditions will continue to dry with areas of single digit relative humidities likely along with well above normal temperatures for most areas. Very dry conditions are likely to persist into Friday, but with much lighter winds.

A red flag warning remains in effect for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Thursday due to the combination of moderate offshore winds, low humidities, warm temperatures, and abnormally dry fuels. —NWS

HOTTEST June on record for Tucson, AZ

HOTTEST June and first month on record with triple digit highs each day

Tucson also saw Warmest March thru June period on record: NWS

One year after recording the 5th hottest June on record, Tucsonans’ lived through the HOTTEST June on record where for the first time on record, every day recorded a triple digit high. The closest a month came to achieving this feat was August 1994 when 30 days recorded triple digit highs.

The monthly average temperature of 89.4° made it the HOTTEST June on record, breaking the previous monthly record of 89.2° from 1994. Temperature extremes for the month ranged from a high of 112° on the 29th to a low of 68° on the 6th.

On June 28, 2013, the maximum temperature in Maricopa County reached 118.9 degrees breaking the previous record by  2.8 degrees.

June 2013 Daily High and Low Temperature Departures from Normal for Tucson, Arizona. Source: NWS

The historical progression of the record for number of consecutive days that Tucson has hit 100 degrees or greater since 1895. Source: NWS

Death Valley: The Hottest Place on Earth

One hundred years ago today, on July 10th, 1913 the weather observer at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California recorded a high temperature of 134°F (56.7°C). This is the highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth.

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States) NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD Issued 8 pm EDT Tuesday, July 9, 2013

High Temperature for Tuesday, July 9, 2013
(as received by 8 pm EDT July 9)
123ºF recorded  at Death Valley, CA

Low Temperature for Tuesday, July 9, 2013
(as received by 8 pm EDT July 9)
34ºF recorded at Stanley, ID

Related Links

• Governor Brewer Requests Major Disaster Declaration for Yarnell Hill Fire