July 2015 Mid-South Climate Summary

...JULY 2015 MID-SOUTH CLIMATE SUMMARY...

July 2015 was warmer and wetter than normal across the Mid-South, making the Top 20 warmest months of July at three of the four climate sites. The average temperature at Jackson was the greatest departure from normal at 2.7 degrees warmer, while Jonesboro had the smallest departure at 1.2 degrees warmer. Memphis recorded the warmest temperature of all sites with 99 degrees, while Jackson recorded the coolest with 65 degrees. Warm overnight low temperatures appear to have been the contributing factor to the warmer than normal July experienced area wide, as three of the four sites had a monthly average low temperature in the Top 10 list of warmest July average low temperatures. For the year to date all sites but Jonesboro are 0.6 degrees cooler than normal. Jonesboro is currently 1.7 degrees cooler than normal for 2015.

Tupelo received the greatest amount of precipitation for July, receiving over four times as much precipitation as Jackson, the site with the least amount. Jackson was the only site that experienced a drier than normal July, picking up only 2.30 inches of precipitation all month, which was 2.19 inches drier than normal. Memphis was only a little more than one half of an inch wetter than normal for the month, while Tupelo was 6.38 inches wetter than normal. Both Memphis and Jackson are behind in precipitation for the year to date at 2.64 and 6.03 inches below normal, respectively. Jonesboro is currently 5.90 inches of precipitation above normal for the year, while Tupelo is 13.05 inches wetter than normal.

TEMPERATURE DATA:

                               Memphis    Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Average Temperature (MONTH)  :   84.5       82.2      82.0      83.0

Normal Avg. Temp (MONTH)     :   82.7       79.5      80.8      81.4

Departure from Normal (MONTH):    1.8        2.7        1.2       1.6

Average Temperature (YEAR)   :   61.9       58.8      57.8      61.4

Normal Avg. Temp (YEAR)      :   62.5    59.4      59.5      62.0

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :   -0.6       -0.6      -1.7      -0.6

Maximum Temperature            :   99.0     98.0      96.0      98.0

Minimum Temperature            :   69.0     65.0      68.0      66.0        

PRECIPITATION DATA:

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Total Precipitation (MONTH)  :    5.17      2.30      6.60     10.28

Normal Precipitation (MONTH) :    4.59      4.49      3.54      3.90

Departure from Normal (MONTH):    0.58    -2.19      3.06      6.38

Total Precipitation (YEAR)   :   29.86    26.84      34.47     46.07

Normal Precipitation (YEAR)  :   32.50    32.87      28.57     33.02

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :   -2.64    -6.03      5.90     13.05

Percent of Normal            :     92%     82%      121%      140%

July Notables:

Memphis

15^th Warmest July on Record

·         Latest since 2012 (7^th Warmest with 85.3 degrees)

·         9 out of 15 of these occurred after 1979

·         7^th Warmest when considering only low temperatures

Jackson

10^th Warmest July on Record

·         4^th Warmest when considering only low temperatures

Jonesboro

6^th Wettest July on Record

·         Latest since 2009 (4^th Wettest with 6.87 inches)

Tupelo

17^th (tied) Warmest July on Record

·         3^rd Warmest when considering only low temperatures

3^rd Wettest July on Record

6^th Wettest Day on Record (7/3 with 6.30 inches)

Climate Outlook:

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlook for August has equal chances of above, near, or below normal temperatures for portions of the Mid-South lying north of the Tennessee and Mississippi state line, with enhanced odds of above normal temperatures for regions south of the state line. The outlook also has equal chances of above, near, or below normal precipitation amounts for the entire region during the month of August.

The three month outlook encompassing the months of August, September, and October collectively has equal chances of above, near, or below normal temperatures. The three month precipitation outlook has enhanced odds of above normal precipitation amounts north of the Tennessee and Mississippi state line, with equal chances of above, near, or below normal amounts south of the state line.

MAYE