National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce
 
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NOUS44 KLZK 020511
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ARZ003>008-012>017-021>025-030>034-037>047-052>057-062>069-040000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...PART 1
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1110 PM CST Tue JAN 1 2019

...A Review of 2018 Weather And Climate Data for Little Rock Adams
Field...

Summary
====================================================================
2018 at Little Rock turned out to be the coolest year in four years
(since 2014). This is in terms of average high, low, and annual
temperature. There was a 94-degree temperature range during the year,
with the highest temperature reaching 101 degrees (July 15), and the
coldest temperature falling to 7 degrees above zero (January 17). This
January reading marked the coldest temperature recorded at Little Rock
in 22 years (since February 4, 1996). The 101-degree reading on July 15
marked the first 100-degree reading at Little Rock in two years.

Rainfall was excessive and frequent during the year. There were 131 days
with measurable rainfall (that is rainfall of 0.01 of an inch or more).
This is the highest number of days with measurable rainfall at Little Rock
in any year in 61 years (since 1957), and the 5th highest over all. The
only years that saw more days with measurable rainfall were 1957 (140 days),
1882 (137 days), 1905 (133 days), and 1945, 1890, and 1886 (132 days). Only
the months of January, March, May, June, and November had a rainfall deficit.
For the remaining seven months, the average surplus was close to four inches.
The driest month was January. The wettest month, by far, was February,
followed by December. In fact, this year marked the first instance since 2011
where monthly rainfall exceeded ten inches in more than one month.

Snowfall was below average for the second straight year. However, this was the
17th consecutive year with measurable snowfall at Little Rock.  For reference,
the longest streak of consecutive years with measurable snowfall was 36 years
from 1891 through 1926. Snow fell in January, April, and November, and was
measurable in January and November. The April snowfall, however, was some of
the latest ever recorded in the season.

Below are averages and extremes observed during the year. Remember...most
of the data below is preliminary until certified correct by the National
Center for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina.

Temperatures
===========================================================================
----------|  Average Temperatures     |--------Extremes and Dates---------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Month     | High  Low   Average  DFN  | Highest/Date(s)  | Lowest/Date(s) |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
January   | 47.8  26.6    37.2  -3.6  | 67/31st          |  7/17th        |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
February  | 55.9  36.5    46.2  +1.4  | 81/20th          | 20/5th         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
March     | 67.9  43.9    55.9  +2.5  | 83/27th          | 31/8th, 7th    |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
April     | 68.5  44.0    56.3  -5.8  | 85/17th          | 28/8th         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
May       | 87.4  65.4    76.4  +5.3  | 92/30th, 19th    | 56/1st         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
June      | 90.9  70.7    80.8  +1.7  | 97/28th          | 62/4th         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
July      | 92.7  72.8    82.8   0.0  |101/15th          | 67/31st        |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
August    | 89.4  70.1    79.7  -2.8  | 97/7th           | 65/24th, 2nd   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
September | 83.9  67.4    75.7  +0.7  | 95/18th          | 52/28th        |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
October   | 73.3  54.3    63.8  +0.1  | 89/5th, 4th      | 36/22nd        |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
November  | 57.0  37.5    47.3  -5.3  | 72/30th          | 24/15th        |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
December  | 52.8  36.7    44.8  +1.8  | 70/1st           | 23/11th        |
===========================================================================
=  Year   | 72.3  52.2    62.2  -0.5  |101 Jul. 15th     |  7 Jan. 7th    =
===========================================================================
DFN - Departure from normal, or difference between the average temperature
and the 30-year average temperature (1981-2010)


Precipitation

===================================================================
Monthly Rainfall Data     |            Highest Totals             |
--------------------------|----------------------------------------
Month     | Total |  DFN  |  Calendar Day   |  24-hour Period     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
January   |  2.22 | -1.33 |   0.71/27th     |  0.71/27th          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
February  | 14.04 |+10.38 |   3.62/21st     |  3.67/20th-21st     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
March     |  3.85 | -0.83 |   1.13/1st      |  1.52/27th-28th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
April     |  5.97 | +0.83 |   1.52/13th     |  2.40/13th-14th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
May       |  2.46 | -2.41 |   0.90/23rd     |  0.90/23rd          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
June      |  2.86 | -0.79 |   1.20/1st      |  1.20/1st           |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
July      |  3.29 | +0.02 |   1.08/17th     |  1.08/17th          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
August    |  6.59 | +4.00 |   2.26/17th     |  3.14/17th-18th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
September |  7.02 | +3.84 |   2.49/7th      |  2.79/6th-7th       |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
October   |  8.21 | +3.30 |   1.76/15th     |  2.28/14th-15th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
November  |  4.58 | -0.70 |   1.75/30th     |  1.75/30th          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
December  | 10.32 | +5.35 |   4.06/13th     |  4.06/13th          |
===================================================================
=Yearly   | 71.41 |+21.66 |   4.06 Dec. 13  |  4.06 Dec. 13       =
===================================================================

============================================================================
Monthly Snowfall Data                 |                                    |
(Snow, Sleet, and Hail)               |           Highest Totals           |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Month     | Total | DFN  | Avg. Depth  | Calendar Day  |  24-hour Period   |
-------------------------|-------------|------------------------------------
January   |  1.7  | +0.1 |     0.1     | 1.0/15th      |  1.0/15th-16th    |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
February  |  0.0  | -1.3 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
March     |  0.0  | -0.4 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
April     |   T   |  0.0 |     0.0     |   T/7th       |    T/7th          |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
October   |  0.0  |  0.0 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
November  |  0.2  | +0.2 |     0.0     | 0.2/14th      |  0.2/14th         |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
December  |  0.0  | -0.2 |     0.0     |               |                   |
============================================================================
=Yearly   |  1.9  | -1.6 |     0.0     | 1.0 Jan. 15   |  1.7 Jan. 15-16   =
============================================================================

Summary By Month
==========================================================================
Monthly Averages |          |         |        |         |
Temperatures &   |  Warmest | Coolest |  Most  |  Least  |  Monthly/Yearly
Precipitation    |   Since  |  Since  | Since  | Since   |  Rank on Record
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
January          |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2010  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   1988  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2016  |         |
Snowfall         |          |         |  2016  |         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
February         |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2015  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |   2015  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   2015  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  1882  |         | ***Wettest***
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2017   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
March            |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2015  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |   2015  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   2015  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2010  |         |
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2017   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
April            |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   1997  |        |         |  9th Coldest
Average Low      |          |   1983  |        |         | ***Coldest***
Average Monthly  |          |   1983  |        |         |  3rd Coldest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2015   |
Snowfall         |          |         |  2003  |         | ***Snowiest***
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
May              |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   1987   |         |        |         |  3rd Warmest
Average Low      |   1991   |         |        |         |  5th Warmest
Average Monthly  |   1987   |         |        |         | ***Warmest***
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2012   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
June             |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2016   |         |        |         |
Average Low      |   2016   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2016   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2016   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
July             |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2016   |         |        |         |
Average Low      |   2016   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2016   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2013   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
August           |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2016   |         |        |         |  10th Coolest
Average Low      |          |   2009  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2016   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2016  |         |  13th Wettest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
September        |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2011  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2016   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2008  |         |  12th Wettest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
October          |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2012  |        |         |
Average Low      |   2016   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   2013  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2009  |         |   7th Wettest
Snowfall         |          |         |        |         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
November         |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2000  |        |         |  12th Coolest
Average Low      |          |   2014  |        |         |  10th Coolest
Average Monthly  |          |   1976  |        |         |   8th Coolest
Rainfall         |          |         |  2015  |         |
Snowfall         |          |         |  1980  |         |  12th Snowiest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
December         |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2015   |         |        |         |
Average Low      |   2015   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2015   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2009  |         |
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2017   |
============================================================================
Yearly           |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   2014  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2009  |         |   4th Wettest
Snowfall         |          |         |  2016  |         |
============================================================================


First and Last Dates     Dates            Notes
===================================================================
Last Freeze         | April 16th    | Latest since 1983, 2nd latest
First 80-degree Day | February 20th | Latest since 2016
First 90-degree Day | May 8th       | Earliest since 2016
Last 90-degree Day  | September 21st| Earliest since 2012
Last 80-degree Day  | October 30th  | Earliest since 2014
First Freeze        | November 10th | Latest since 2016
===================================================================

Number of Days With Temperatures      Notes
=======================================================
At or below freezing           | 62 | Most since 2014
At or above 90 degrees         | 86 | Most since 2016
At or above 100 degrees        |  2 | Most since 2016
=======================================================

Daily Record Temperatures Tied or Broken During the Year
==============================================================================
Date       Record Type                   New Record        Previous Record
==============================================================================
Apr.  7th  Coldest High Temperature      48 in 2018     49 in 2007
Apr.  8th  Low Temperature               28 in 2018     28 in 2007
Apr. 16th  Low Temperature               32 in 2018     33 in 1962
May   8th  High Temperature              91 in 2018     90 in 2003, 1952, 1896
Jun. 27th  Warmest Low Temperature       78 in 2018     78 in 2011, 2009, 1980,
                                                              1978, 1969
Sep. 23rd  Coolest High Temperature      67 in 2018     68 in 1989
Oct. 16th  Coolest High Temperature      50 in 2018     57 in 1943
Nov. 30th  Warmest Low Temperature       63 in 2018     59 in 1933

Additional Information and Honorable Mention...
Jan. 17th - The low of 7 degrees above zero was the coldest temperature recorded at
Little Rock since February 4, 1996.
Feb. 20th - The daily average temperature of 70.5 most recently tied February
25, 1936 for the 4th warmest daily average temperature on record for the month.
Apr.  8th-9th - The daily average temperature of 39.5 degrees most recently tied
April 12, 1940 for the 6th coldest daily average temperature on record for the
month of April.
Oct. 16th - The high of 50 ended up being the earliest high temperature at or
below 50 degrees at Little Rock since 1989, and the earliest such reading ever
recorded since temperature records began in 1879. The previous record was 50
degrees on October 19, 1989.
Nov. 14th - The high temperature of 34 degrees most recently tied November 24, 2013
for the 4th coldest on record for the month of November at Little Rock.

Daily Record Rainfall Tied or Broken During the Year
====================================================
Date        New Record     Previous Record
====================================================
Feb. 21st  3.62 in 2018      1.36 in 2015
Aug.  9th  1.58 in 2018      1.43 in 2011
Aug. 17th  2.26 in 2018      2.02 in 1958
Nov. 30th  1.75 in 2018      1.33 in 1991
Dec. 13th  4.06 in 2018      2.48 in 1901
Dec. 14th  1.71 in 2018      1.29 in 1902

Honorable mention...
Feb.  1-28 - There were 18 days with measurable precipitation during the month.
This was the highest number on record for the month, and the highest for any given
month since April of 1957. This also tied April 1957, December 1931, June 1900,
and march of 1897 for the 2nd highest number of days with measurable rainfall in a
given month. Only January 1937 had more, with 19. This was also the wettest month
since November 2011.
Feb. 21-24 - There were four consecutive days with rainfall at or above one inch,
which was the most since December 27-30, 1884 and tied that period for the most
on record.
Sep. 21-27 - There were seven consecutive days with measurable rainfall which
was the most in the month of September since 1973, and tied September 2-8, 1973
for the 2nd highest amount on record for the month.
Dec. 13 - The 4.06 inches of rain that fell was the highest December daily
rainfall since last year (12/22/2017), and the 7th highest over all for the
month of December.

Daily Record Snowfall Tied or Broken During the Year
====================================================
DATE        NEW RECORD           OLD RECORD
====================================================
Apr.  7th  Trace in 2018    None---record established
Nov. 12th  Trace in 2018    Trace in 1908

Monthly Records Tied or Broken During the Year
====================================================================================
Month     Record Type              New Record/Date         Previous Record/Date
====================================================================================
Apr.   All-time Record Low          28 04/08/2018     28 04/08/2007, 04/07/1971,
                                                         04/05/1920, 04/01/1886
Apr.      Snowiest                  Trace 2018        Trace    2003, 1983, 1980, 1973,
                                                               1971, 1957, 1928, 1920,
                                                               1915, 1908, 1886
Apr.    Daily Snowfall            Trace 04/07/2018    Trace  04/09/2003 (and others)
Apr.    24-hour snowfall          Trace 04/07/2018    Trace  04/09/2003 (and others)


Other Records Broken During the Year/Miscellaneous Phenomena
======================================================================================
Jan.  1st - The pressure rose to 30.90 inches. While not a record, it was the highest
seal level pressure since January 7, 2015, and the 8th highest over all.
Jan. 22nd - A 53 MPH wind gust was recorded with the passage of a strong thunderstorm.
This was the highest wind gust recorded in the month of January since 2008, and the
3rd highest wind gust ever recorded during the month. The two highest were 62 MPH on
January 31, 1973, and 54 MPH on January 29, 2008. Over all, it`s about the 23rd highest
wind gust on record, tied most recently with October 6, 2014.
Jul. 21st - Winds of 47 MPH were clocked as thunderstorms passed over the airport during
the early morning. This was on the edge of a complex of storms that estimated winds of
65-80 MPH causing widespread damage in western and southern portions of the city.

$$

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