November 2012 Climate Summary

...NOVEMBER 2012 MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY...

November 2012 yielded temperatures slightly below normal across the majority of the Mid-South region.  Jackson Tennessee checked in with the lowest average temperature of the official climate sites with an average of 47.0 degrees, which is 3.1 degrees below normal.  Tupelo Mississippi also had a departure from normal of 3.1 degrees, but saw a warmer average temperature of 49.8 degrees.  2012 continues to be one of the warmest years all time, although below normal temperatures in the month of November have pushed the year further down the rankings.  Memphis is still on track to have the warmest year on record, while Jonesboro ranks third, Jackson ranks fourth, and Tupelo ranks fifth.  Precipitation across the region was well below normal at all official sites.  Most rainfall was observed along and north of the I40 corridor with the heaviest rain falling on November 11^th as a cold front pushed through the region.  Northeast Mississippi received the lowest amounts of rainfall for the month of November as generally less than 1.25 inches was reported, while areas further north such as Memphis and Jackson checked in with 2.90 and 2.16 inches respectively.  With a rainfall departure of 3.54 inches below normal, Tupelo ranked fourth all time for lowest total rainfall for the month of November.  Here is the climate data that tells the story:

Temperature Data:

                              Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Average Temperature (NOV)   :   51.7      47.0       48.8      49.8

Normal Avg. Temp (NOV)      :   53.2      50.1       49.6      52.9

Departure from Normal (NOV) :   -1.5      -3.1       -0.8      -3.1

Average Temperature (YEAR)  :   67.3      63.6       65.3      65.9

Normal Avg. Temp (YEAR)     :   64.7      61.5       61.8      64.1

Departure from Normal (YEAR):    2.6       2.1        3.5       1.8

Precipitation Data:

                              Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Total Precipitation (NOV)    :  2.90      2.16       2.17      1.16

Normal Precipitation (NOV)   :  5.49      4.90       4.90      4.70

Departure from Normal (NOV)  : -2.59     -2.74      -2.73     -3.54

Total Precipitation (YEAR)   : 33.17     37.63      29.88     42.68

Normal Precipitation (YEAR)  : 48.14     48.10      43.49     48.94

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :-14.97    -10.47     -13.61     -6.26

Using the 1981-2012 set of normals, the following tables show rank, average temperature, departure, and its year of occurrence.

Top 10 warmest years through NOVEMBER 30th:

MEMPHIS                        JACKSON               

RNK     AVG     YR      DEP     RNK     AVG     YR      DEP

1       67.5    2012    2.8     1       64.5    1954    3.0

2       67.2    2007    2.5     2       64.1    1953    2.6

3       66.9    1998    2.2     3       63.9    1990    2.4

4       66.7    2005    2.0     4       63.7    2012    2.2

5       66.6    1921    1.9     5       63.4    2007    1.9

6       66.3    1999    1.6     6       63.2    1973    1.7

7       66.2    2000    1.5     6       63.2    1991    1.7

7       66.2    1990    1.5     8       63.1    1952    1.6

8       66.0    2006    1.3     9       63.0    1949    1.5

9       65.9    1925    1.2     9       63.0    1955    1.5

JONESBORO                      TUPELO                

RNK     AVG     YR      DEP     RNK     AVG     YR      DEP

1       66.8    1921    5.0     1       66.7    1938    2.6

2       66.1    1901    4.3     2       66.5    2007    2.4

3       65.4    2012    3.6     3       66.4    1954    2.3

4       65.3    1954    3.5     4       66.1    2006    2.0

5       65.2    1925    3.4     5       66.0    2012    1.9

6       65.0    1998    3.2     6       65.9    1934    1.8

7       64.4    1931    2.6     7       65.8    1933    1.7

8       64.3    1932    2.5     7       65.8    1990    1.7

9       64.1    1986    2.3     7       65.8    1939    1.7

9       64.1    1922    2.3     7       65.8    1999    1.7

Significant Weather Events:

NOVEMBER 2012:  Even with below normal rainfall for the month, drought conditions improved slightly.  Most of the Mid-South region lies in the D1 (Moderate) drought category, while the remainder of the area lies in the D0 (Abnormally Dry) drought category.  Which is a definite improvement as the region was in the D3 (Extreme) drought category earlier in the year.  Rivers across the region are slowly on the rise due to recent rainfall. 

The month of November produced one significant severe weather event across the Mid-South region.  On November 3^rd, a warm front lifted northward pushing temperatures into the mid to upper 70s and even lower 80s by that afternoon.  With this front, instability increased throughout the day as a cold front was making its way southward.  Shower and thunderstorm activity initiated around 4PM that afternoon as the cold front began to push through, providing substantial lift for thunderstorm development.  Numerous severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for the threat of damaging winds and especially large hail.  There were a variety of storm reports that evening of hail larger than quarters in St. Francis County Arkansas, and at least one report in Shelby County Tennessee of golfball sized hail along with numerous reports of quarter sized hail.

November 2012 Rainfall Graphics:

November 11th Rainfall: