December 2015 Mid-South Climate Summary

...DECEMBER 2015 MID-SOUTH CLIMATE SUMMARY...

December was an eventful month of weather for the Mid-South. The month finished as one of the warmest months of December on record for the Mid-South, with daily high temperatures reaching as high as 80 degrees at Memphis late in the month. December 2015 will not only be remembered for warm temperatures, but also for the devastating severe weather that impacted the region around and after the Christmas holiday. Six tornadoes occurred between the 23^rd and 28^th, causing at least 10 fatalities.

Memphis recorded its second warmest December on record this year with an average temperature that was 10.5 degrees above normal. Memphis reported the maximum monthly temperature of the official climate sites with 80.0 degrees as the high on December 26^th. This was the latest instance of 80.0 degrees in Memphis on record, with the average last instance of 80.0 degrees in the city being around October 27^th. It was so abnormally warm in Memphis during December that the temperature never dropped below freezing the entire month, the only site to fail to do so. Despite reporting the lowest monthly temperature of all the official climate sites with 26.0 degrees, Jackson still had an average temperature for the month that was 9.9 degrees warmer than the normal, making for the second warmest December on record there. Likewise, Tupelo also had a monthly departure above normal of 9.9 degrees, and also experienced its second warmest December on record. Jonesboro had an average monthly temperature that was 9.1 degrees warmer than normal, which was the third warmest December on record. The annual statistics will not be discussed in this summary as the 2015 annual climate summary will cover this information.

While the latter half of December was incredibly wet, it was not enough to bring Memphis or Jackson to their December normal precipitation total. Memphis was 0.97 inches of precipitation below normal for the month, while Jackson was just 0.20 inches below normal. On the other hand, Jonesboro and Tupelo were both wetter than normal, with departures of 1.60 inches and 1.08 inches, respectively.

The climate data for December are as follows:

TEMPERATURE DATA:

                               Memphis    Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Average Temperature (MONTH)  :   54.1       50.7      48.6      54.0

Normal Avg. Temp (MONTH)     :   43.6       40.8      39.5      44.1

Departure from Normal (MONTH):   10.5        9.9        9.1       9.9

Average Temperature (YEAR)   :   64.1       60.6      59.6      63.3

Normal Avg. Temp (YEAR)      :   63.1       59.8      60.0      62.5

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :    1.0        0.8      -0.4       0.8

Maximum Temperature          :   80.0       76.0      74.0      78.0

Minimum Temperature          :   32.0       26.0      29.0      27.0  

PRECIPITATION DATA:

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Total Precipitation (MONTH)  :    4.77      5.15      6.37      7.36

Normal Precipitation (MONTH) :    5.74      5.35      4.77      6.28

Departure from Normal (MONTH):   -0.97    -0.20      1.60      1.08

Total Precipitation (YEAR)   :   52.66    48.22      64.53     70.76

Normal Precipitation (YEAR)  :   53.68    53.27      48.10     55.01

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :   -1.02    -5.05      16.43     15.75

Percent of Normal            :     98%       91%      134%      129%

Total Snowfall (MONTH)       :     0.0       0.0        0.0       0.0

Normal Snowfall (MONTH)      :     0.2       0.2        0.6       0.3

Departure from Normal (MONTH):    -0.2      -0.2      -0.6      -0.3

Greatest Snow Depth (MONTH)  :       0         0          0         0

Notables:

MEMPHIS- 2^nd Warmest December

JACKSON- 2^nd Warmest December

JONESBORO- 3^rd Warmest December

TUPELO- 2^nd Warmest December

Climate Outlook:

Although we are now in a new year, winter 2015-2016 is still ongoing, as is one of the strongest El Niño events on record. The combination of such an event with a strongly positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) was a contributor to the wet and warm weather during December. Fortunately, we have lost the positive NAO signal, which lessens the likelihood of excessively wetter than normal conditions. The official Climate Prediction Center (CPC) one month temperature outlook for January has eastern Arkansas, west Tennessee, and the Missouri Boot Heel in equal chances of above, near, or below normal temperatures. North Mississippi has enhanced odds of experiencing below normal (cooler) temperatures for the month. The January precipitation outlook has equal chances of above, near, or below normal precipitation totals for the entire Mid-South region. The three month temperature outlook, encompassing January, February, and March, has equal chances of above, near, or below normal temperatures for the entire region. The three month precipitation outlook highlights most of west Tennessee and the Missouri Boot Heel with enhanced odds of below normal (drier) precipitation totals, with the rest of the region in an equal chance of above, near, or below normal precipitation totals.

MAYE