May 2024 Climate Summaries
Mobile Alabama and Pensacola Florida Area
Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader (OPL)/Meteorologist
POC for Observation, Climate, and COOP
National Weather Service Mobile Alabama
June 4, 2024
May 2024 in Review - The Mobile area saw monthly temperatures being one that was much warmer than normal by some 3 to 5°. In fact, the average monthly temperature ranked as the second warmest Mays on record. There were two record high lows on the mornings of the 8th and 9th, averaging 15.5° above normal. The Pensacola area saw the average monthly temperature a bit closer to the normal with the average lows coming in with the highest departures against the means and settling in the top 10 warmest. Helping this notable statistic along was four record high low temperatures in the upper half of the 70's on the 7th through the 9th and on the 25th, averaging 11.0° above normal.
The rain gauge swelled to over ten inches at Mobile. Well over half the monthly rainfall fell on a record setting one day when gauge catch on the 13th was over a half foot. Pensacola saw over seven inches of rain and well above normal.
Mobile Alabama Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1872 to Present]- The average monthly high of 87.8° was 2.9° above normal. The average monthly low was 69.1° or 5.3° above normal and 5th warmest average monthly low for May. The average monthly temperature of 78.5° was 4.1° above normal and 2nd warmest. The highest temperature for the month of 94°, occurring on the 28th, was 7° above normal for the date. The lowest temperature for the month, 64°, occurred on three mornings: 12th, 13th and the 16th and about normal for May. Two record high low temperatures were reached. On the morning of the 8th, 76° tied the previous record on this date back in 1933. On the 9th, 79° broke the previous record of 76° on this date which held for nearly 150 years dating way back to 1875. (Fig. A) shows a graphical representation of how the Mobile area temperatures compared to the seasonal normal daily highs and lows, which are shown by the colored dashed lines. Bar graphs reflecting the daily high/low temperature departures from normal are provided in the table below (Figs. B and C). Rainfall for May totaled 10.28" (Fig. D), or 4.89" above normal. Over half of the monthly total was collected in one day when 6.85" fell on the 13th while also setting a new one day record rainfall for the date. The previous record on the 13th was 3.09" in 1990. Annual rainfall to date in Mobile is in surplus by over two inches. (Fig. E).
May Top Records for the Month During the Period of Record for the Mobile Area:
Click on the Mobile Alabama area climate graphics below to expand:
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Pensacola Florida Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1879 to Present] - The average monthly high of 84.6° was 0.5° below normal. The average monthly low of 70.4° was 3.5° above normal and stands as the 8th warmest May on record. The average monthly temperature of 77.5° was 1.5° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 94°, occurring on the 28th, was 6° above normal for the date. The lowest temperature was 63° on the morning of the 13th and 3° below normal for this date. There were four record high low temperatures shown in the table below:
(Fig. F) shows a graphical representation of how the Pensacola area temperatures compared to the seasonal normal daily highs and lows, which are shown by the colored dashed lines. (Figs. G and H) shows the daily high/low temperature departures from normal. Rainfall for May totaled 7.38" (Fig. I), or 3.48" above normal. Annual rainfall to date is just about right on top of normal for the Pensacola area (Fig. J).
May Top Records for the Month During the Period of Record for the Pensacola Area:
Click on the Pensacola Florida area climate graphics below to expand:
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Additional May 2024 Climatology and Topics
The highlight of the month was excessive rainfall totals to well above normal with most areas seeing a general 6 to 10". Within the areal rainfall footprint, there were pockets in excess of 10" mostly concentrated along the I-10 corridor with smaller pockets over the interior. The heaviest rain areas reflected 200 to 400% of normal May rainfall. (Fig. K) shows the areal monthly rainfall total, (Fig. L) shows the areal rainfall departures from normal and (Fig. M), the areal percent of normal rainfall. Areal average temperatures (Fig. N), shows the immediate central Gulf coastal areas seeing slightly above normal numbers with most of the interior seeing slightly below normal. The latest May 2024 monthly summary for Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) - KVPS has been received and provided in the table below. The temperatures in the daily tables consists of numbers both in °F/°C. Data courtesy of Mr. David Biggar, Staff Meteorologist, 96th Weather Squadron. Provided by permission.
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June 2024 Climatology, Seasonal Climatology and Outlooks:
Temperatures in June are favored to lean above normal over the central Gulf Coast while precipitation leans above normal from the southern Plains to east of the Lower Mississippi River Valley. June marks the official start of the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season and NOAA has released its outlook for 2024 which calls for numbers of named storms at above normal. Lending to the outlook for above normal tropical cyclone formation is a number of favorable factors => Near-record warm oceanic temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, development of La Niña conditions in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds, less wind shear and an above normal west African Monsoon which can produce well defined African easterly waves moving off the west African coast and across the Main Development Region (MDR). See the link to the outlook below. It's highly encouraged to review your hurricane preparedness. Click on the Preparedness Tab on the NWS Mobile Tropical Webpage.
Click on the snap shots below to expand:
 June Normals |
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Additional Climate Links:
The National Weather Service Mobile Alabama's Climate and Past Weather page provides climate data at your fingertips for many observation points in the local forecast area by accessing the NOWData tab as well as many other climate resources. The Climate Prediction Center Link provides short and longer range climatic outlooks and education about the larger scale global circulations that impact temperatures and weather. With the large agriculture and farming presence along the central Gulf coast, the Drought Monitor link provides updates on drought trends and impacts. Another very helpful resource is the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) network, which is a large group of volunteers working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail, and snow). The aim of CoCoRaHS is to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications. You can be a part of the CoCoRaHS team by becoming a volunteer rainfall observer.
Questions or Comments:
Contact: Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader WFO Mobile, AL at joe.maniscalco@noaa.gov
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