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AFOS product CLASBN
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Product Timestamp: 2013-01-01 15:35 UTC
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198
CXUS53 KIWX 011603
CLASBN
INDCLMSBN 000
TTAA00 KIWX 011535
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1035 AM EST TUE JAN 1 2013
...................................
...THE SOUTH BEND CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2012...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1893 TO 2012
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR'S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE
NORMAL
.............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 109 07/24/1934
LOW -22 01/20/1943
01/25/1897
HIGHEST 102 07/06 MM MM 99
LOWEST 3 01/15 MM MM -9
AVG. MAXIMUM 63.1 58.8 4.3 59.6
AVG. MINIMUM 43.5 40.8 2.7 41.7
MEAN 53.3 49.8 3.5
DAYS MAX >= 90 33 9.7 23.3 19
DAYS MAX <= 32 21 44.6 -23.6 44
DAYS MIN <= 32 112 122.7 -10.7 123
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 5.3 -5.3 7
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 55.61 1990
MINIMUM 25.15 1963
TOTALS 34.69 38.00 -3.31 46.48
DAILY AVG. 0.09 0.10 -0.01 0.13
DAYS >= .01 135 145.4 -10.4 163
DAYS >= .10 90 78.3 11.7 95
DAYS >= .50 18 23.4 -5.4 32
DAYS >= 1.00 4 7.2 -3.2 12
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 141.7 1978
TOTALS 54.6 66.6 -12.0 86.4
SINCE 7/1 9.1 22.5 -13.4 5.7
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 MM MM 1
DAYS >= TRACE 45 44.9 0.1 58
DAYS >= 1.0 17 20.4 -3.4 20
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 8 01/03 23
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 5260 6298 -1038 6075
SINCE 7/1 MM 2391 MM MM
COOLING TOTAL 1115 773 342 969
SINCE 1/1 1115 773 342 969
..............................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 8.4
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 49/300 DATE 06/29
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 66/190 DATE 08/04
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.40
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 202
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 97
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 67
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 67
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 42 RAIN 64
LIGHT RAIN 134 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 2 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 9 SNOW 18
LIGHT SNOW 41 SLEET 0
FOG 172 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 29
HAZE 78
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
&&
OVERALL 2012 WAS A VERY WARM AND DRY YEAR. THE 2012 AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE AT SOUTH BEND WAS 53.3 DEGREES WHICH IS 3.5 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL. THIS IS THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD. PRECIPITATION FOR
THE YEAR WAS 34.69 INCHES...3.31 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. SNOWFALL FOR
THE CALENDAR YEAR WAS 54.6 INCHES...12.0 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.
BELOW ARE THE MONTHLY SUMMARIES FOR 2012 AT SOUTH BEND. ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND SUMMARIES FOR INDIVIDUAL WEATHER EVENTS FROM 2012
CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX.
JANUARY
...A WARM AND WET JANUARY WITH ABOVE NORMAL SNOWFALL...
IT WAS A ROLLER COASTER JANUARY AS TEMPERATURES FLUCTUATED UP AND
DOWN DURING THE MONTH. PRECIPITATION WAS ABOVE NORMAL AND IT VARIED
BETWEEN RAIN...SNOW AND EVEN THUNDERSTORMS. DESPITE BEING A WARM
MONTH...SNOWFALL WAS WELL ABOVE NORMAL.
TEMPERATURES SWUNG WILDLY THROUGH THE MONTH AS NUMEROUS WEATHER
SYSTEMS WITH LA NINA INFLUENCE MOVED THROUGH THE AREA.
TELECONNECTION PATTERNS SUCH AS THE ARCTIC OSCILLATION...AO...AND
NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION...NAO...GENERALLY REMAINED IN THE
POSITIVE PHASES WHICH HELPED KEEP COLDER ARCTIC AIR LOCKED UP CLOSER
TO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. THE AO DID BRIEFLY TREND NEGATIVE AT TIMES AND
THIS HELPED BRING SOME COLDER AIR SOUTH INTO THE MIDWEST.
HOWEVER...THE NAO REMAINED NEAR NEUTRAL OR IN THE POSITIVE PHASE
THROUGH THE MONTH AND THIS HELPED TO KEEP THE ATMOSPHERE IN A
PROGRESSIVE PATTERN AND THUS THE COLDER AIR COULD NOT STAY IN PLACE
FOR VERY LONG.
JANUARY BEGAN WARM WITH HIGHS REACHING THE MID 40S EARLY ON NEW
YEARS DAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHED THROUGH THE REGION AND
TEMPERATURES PLUMMETED DURING THE DAY WHILE VERY STRONG WINDS
DEVELOPED BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. THIS COLD AIR WOULD NOT LAST LONG
AS TEMPERATURES REACHED THE LOWER 50S ON THE 6TH. THE PERIOD FROM
JANUARY 5TH THROUGH JANUARY 12TH HAD HIGH TEMPERATURES OF AT LEAST
40 DEGREES EACH DAY. ANOTHER STRONG COLD FRONT BROUGHT TEMPERATURES
BACK DOWN TO BELOW NORMAL WITH LAKE EFFECT SNOW BETWEEN THE 13TH AND
15TH. AGAIN...THIS COLD AIR COULD NOT HOLD ON FOR LONG AND
TEMPERATURES QUICKLY WARMED BACK INTO THE 40S BY THE 16TH. THIS
PATTERN CONTINUED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MONTH. EACH COLD
PERIOD HELPED SPAWN LAKE EFFECT SNOW WHICH HELPED SOUTH BEND MAKE UP
A MAJORITY OF ITS SNOWFALL DEFICIT FOR THE SEASON.
THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY 2012 WAS 29.4 DEGREES
WHICH WAS 5.0 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS TIES JANUARY 1894 AS THE
19TH WARMEST JANUARY ON RECORD. THE WARMEST JANUARY EVER RECORDED
WAS IN 2006 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 35.8 DEGREES. RECORD
HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE BROKEN ON THE 4TH AND 6TH...AND TIED ON TH
5TH.
THE WARMEST DAY OCCURRED ON THE 31ST WITH A HIGH OF 56 AND A LOW OF
45. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 51 WAS 26 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND
THE LOW TEMPERATURE SET A RECORD FOR THE WARMEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
FOR THAT DATE. THE COLDEST DAY WAS ON THE 20TH WHEN THE HIGH WAS
ONLY 16 AND THE LOW WAS 7. THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 12 WHICH WAS
12 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.
PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS 2.97 INCHES...0.68 INCHES ABOVE
NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 30TH WETTEST JANUARY ON RECORD.
MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL ON 15 DAYS. THE GREATEST 24 HOUR
PRECIPITATION WAS ON THE 22ND AND 23RD WHEN 0.54 INCHES WAS
RECORDED.
SNOWFALL FOR JANUARY WAS 35.0 INCHES...14.4 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL.
THIS TIES WITH 1909 AS THE 10TH SNOWIEST JANUARY ON RECORD. THE
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY WAS 40.7
INCHES WHICH WAS ONLY 2.4 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.
FEBRUARY
...A VERY WARM END TO WINTER WITH ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION...
METEOROLOGICAL WINTER...DECEMBER 1ST TO FEBRUARY 29TH...CAME TO A
VERY WARM END WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING RECORD LEVELS IN THE MIDDLE
TO UPPER 60S ON LEAP DAY. NEARLY THE ENTIRE MONTH OF FEBRUARY WAS
WARM WITH BELOW NORMAL SNOWFALL BUT ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION. THE
ATMOSPHERE REMAINED ACTIVE WITH HELP FROM A WANING LA NINA AS
NUMEROUS STORM SYSTEMS MOVED THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY. WHILE THE LA
NINA DRIVEN SYSTEMS PROVIDED MOISTURE...A POSITIVE ARCTIC
OSCILLATION AND POSITIVE NORTH ATLANTIC OSCILLATION KEPT COLD ARCTIC
AIR BOTTLED UP WELL NORTH OF THE UNITED STATES AND HELPED KEEP MILD
TEMPERATURES IN PLACE ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY
REGIONS.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AT SOUTH BEND REGIONAL AIRPORT WAS
32.2...4.4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 17TH WARMEST
FEBRUARY ON RECORD. A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 66 OCCURRED ON LEAP
DAY...FEBRUARY 29TH. THIS WAS THE WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE OF THE
MONTH AND ALSO THE FIRST 60 DEGREE DAY OF THE YEAR. THERE WERE ONLY
4 DAYS DURING THE MONTH WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE BELOW
NORMAL. MEANWHILE...THERE WERE SIX DAYS WITH DAILY AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES AT LEAST 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL...AND 2 OF THESE DAYS
HAD AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AT LEAST 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
IRONICALLY IT WAS THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE MONTH THAT WERE THE
WARMEST. THE FIRST HAD AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 16 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL WHILE THE 29TH HAD AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 19 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL. THE COLDEST DAY OF THE MONTH WAS THE 11TH. THE HIGH WAS
21...THE LOW WAS 13 AND THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 17...10 DEGREES
BELOW NORMAL.
THE PRECIPITATION TOTAL FOR FEBRUARY WAS 2.30 INCHES...0.35 INCHES
ABOVE NORMAL. MONTHLY PRECIPITATION TOTALS THROUGH THE 28TH WERE
SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL BUT JUST OVER THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF
RAIN FELL ON THE 29TH PUSHING THE MONTHLY TOTAL ABOVE NORMAL.
MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED ON 12 DAYS AND THE 29TH WAS THE
ONLY DAY WITH MORE THAN A HALF INCH OF PRECIPITATION.
SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH WAS 9.0 INCHES...6.0 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.
THIS RANKS AS THE 41ST LEAST SNOWIEST FEBRUARY ON RECORD. THE
GREATEST SINGLE DAY SNOWFALL OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 11TH WITH 3.6
INCHES OF SNOW.
MARCH
...A RECORD SHATTERING MARCH...
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY WARM MARCH WITH NUMEROUS TEMPERATURE RECORDS
BROKEN...INCLUDING THE WARMEST MARCH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE.
THERE WERE NINE CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 70
DEGREES OR MORE. THIS WAS THE SECOND LONGEST STREAK IN THE MONTH OF
MARCH BEHIND 1910 WHEN THERE WERE TEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS GREATER THAN
OR EQUAL TO 70 DEGREES. SOUTH BEND ALSO REACHED 80 DEGREES FIVE
TIMES THIS MONTH WHICH WAS A RECORD FOR THE MOST NUMBER OF 80 DEGREE
DAYS IN MARCH.
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE SET ON NINE CONSECUTIVE DAYS. THIS WAS
THE 2ND LONGEST STREAK OF CONSECUTIVE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES. THE
LONGEST STREAK WAS 10 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WHICH OCCURRED FROM JULY 7TH
THROUGH JULY 16TH IN 1936.
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET ON THE 21ST. THIS
ALSO TIED THE PREVIOUS RECORD FOR THE WARMEST MARCH DAY WHICH
OCCURRED ON MARCH 31ST IN 1981. THE 85 DEGREES ON MARCH 21ST ALSO
SET A RECORD FOR THE EARLIEST DATE THAT SOUTH BEND HAS SEEN A
TEMPERATURES OF 85 DEGREES.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AT SOUTH BEND WAS 53.1 DEGREES...AN
INCREDIBLE 15.8 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 37.5 DEGREES. THIS
SHATTERS THE PREVIOUS MARCH RECORD OF 47.4 DEGREES SET IN 1946. TO
PUT THIS NEW RECORD INTO PERSPECTIVE...THE NORMAL AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL IS 49.0 DEGREES...4.1 DEGREES
COOLER THAN THE ACTUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF THIS MARCH. AS A
RESULT OF THIS WARMTH...TREES AND VEGETATION CAME TO LIFE QUICKLY
THIS MONTH AND WERE IN A STATE NORMALLY NOT SEEN UNTIL THE END OF
APRIL OR EARLY MAY. MANY FRUIT TREES WERE BLOOMING A GOOD THREE TO
FIVE WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 63.1 DEGREES...16.6 DEGREES ABOVE
THE NORMAL OF 46.5 DEGREES. THIS ALSO BREAKS THE RECORD FOR WARMEST
AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE IN MARCH. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 59.1
DEGREES SET IN 1910 AND 1946. THE AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE
MONTH WAS 43.0 DEGREES...14.6 DEGREES ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 28.4
DEGREES. THIS ALSO BREAKS THE RECORD FOR WARMEST AVERAGE LOW
TEMPERATURE IN MARCH. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 38.5 DEGREES SET IN
1973. AGAIN...TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE...THE NORMAL HIGH
TEMPERATURE IN APRIL IS 59.5 DEGREES WHILE THE NORMAL LOW
TEMPERATURE IN APRIL IS 38.6 DEGREES. MARCH OF 2012 WAS OVERALL
WARMER THAN A NORMAL MONTH OF APRIL.
THERE WERE ONLY THREE DAYS IN WHICH THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE
WAS BELOW NORMAL. THERE WERE SEVEN DAYS IN WHICH THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE WAS AT LEAST 30 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND THREE DAYS IN
WHICH THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS AN INCREDIBLE 35 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL.
PRECIPITATION AT SOUTH BEND WAS BELOW NORMAL FOR MARCH. A TOTAL OF
1.67 INCHES WAS RECORDED WHICH IS 0.66 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. DESPITE
THE VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...SNOWFALL DID OCCUR DURING THE FIRST
WEEK OF THE MONTH. A TOTAL OF 1.5 INCHES WAS RECORDED...ALL FALLING
ON THE 3RD...4TH AND 5TH.
APRIL
...A RARE OCCURRENCE...APRIL COOLER THAN MARCH...
DESPITE A MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE
NORMAL...APRIL WAS STILL COOLER THAN MARCH IN THE SOUTH BEND AREA.
SINCE RECORD KEEPING BEGAN IN 1893...THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONE
OTHER TIME IN 1907. THE INCREDIBLE MARCH WARMTH...MORE TYPICAL OF
LATE APRIL AND EARLY MAY...HELPED PLANTS SPRING TO LIFE AND BLOOM
WELL AHEAD OF NORMAL. THIS PROVED TO BE DEVASTATING IN MANY AREAS AS
TEMPERATURES RETURNED TO NORMAL IN APRIL WHICH MEANT MANY EARLY
MORNINGS WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING. FRUIT CROPS ACROSS
NORTHERN INDIANA...SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN AND EVEN NORTHWEST OHIO
WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED BY THE MORE SEASONABLE WEATHER. TO MAKE
MATTERS WORSE...PRECIPITATION WAS WELL BELOW NORMAL ACROSS THE
ENTIRE REGION...WITH SOME LOCATIONS SEEING ONLY 25 PERCENT OF THEIR
NORMAL PRECIPITATION UNTIL THE LAST 3 DAYS IN THE MONTH.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE WAS 49.5...0.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE IN APRIL WAS 79 ON THE THIRD...6 DEGREES
COOLER THAN THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE SEEN IN MARCH. THE COLDEST
TEMPERATURE AT SOUTH BEND WAS 27 ON THE 12TH. MANY OUTLYING AREAS
EXPERIENCED EVEN COLDER TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 20S ON
THE 12TH WHICH LED TO THE KILLING FREEZE ACROSS THE REGION. THERE
WERE A TOTAL OF 8 DAYS WITH A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 32 OR COLDER WHICH
IS JUST ABOUT NORMAL FOR APRIL.
PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS 2.22 INCHES...1.01 INCHES BELOW
NORMAL. THIS PRECIPITATION DEFICIT WAS MUCH GREATER UNTIL THE LAST 3
DAYS OF THE MONTH WHEN JUST OVER AN INCH OF RAIN FELL. MARCH AND
APRIL WERE BOTH WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR PRECIPITATION WITH A COMBINED
DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL OF 1.76 INCHES. THIS RANKS AS THE 17TH DRIEST
MARCH AND APRIL PERIOD ON RECORD. THE LACK OF SPRING RAINFALL HAD
LEFT MANY AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS AT NEAR RECORD LOW STAGES FOR THIS
TIME OF YEAR AND HAD ALSO PROMPTED EARLY IRRIGATION PRACTICES WHICH
TYPICALLY DO NOT BEGIN UNTIL LATE MAY OR EARLY JUNE. THE RAIN AT THE
END OF THE MONTH CERTAINLY HELPED THESE SITUATIONS. A LOOK BACK AT
THE DRIEST MARCH AND APRIL COMBINED PERIODS REVEALED THAT A MAJORITY
OF THE FOLLOWING MAY THROUGH JULY AND JUNE THROUGH AUGUST PERIODS
ALSO EXPERIENCED BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
SNOWFALL FOR APRIL WAS JUST A TRACE. NORMAL APRIL SNOWFALL IS 1.4
INCHES.
IF YOU EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CROPS OR VEGETATION FROM THE FREEZING
TEMPERATURES IN APRIL...OR YOU WERE IMPACTED IN ANY WAY BY THE DRY
WEATHER...WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL
DESCRIBING THE IMPACTS TO THE NORTHERN INDIANA CLIMATE PROGRAM
MANAGER AT W-IWX.WEBMASTER@NOAA.GOV.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN APRIL AND
MARCH AS WELL AS THE RECENT DRY PATTERN CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE
AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX.
MAY
...A VERY DRY AND WARM MAY IN THE SOUTH BEND AREA...
THE MONTH OF MAY WAS CHARACTERIZED BY A CONTINUATION OF RELATIVELY
DRY CONDITIONS AND WARM TEMPERATURES WHICH WERE BOTH COMMON THROUGH
MUCH OF THE SPRING. OVER A HALF INCH OF RAIN FELL ON THE LAST DAY OF
MAY AT SOUTH BEND...HELPING REDUCE THE MONTHLY DEFICIT. HOWEVER...A
STRETCH OF DAYS FROM MAY 8TH THROUGH MAY 30TH PRODUCED JUST UNDER
0.30 INCHES OF RAIN...WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS PERIOD. IT WAS ALSO
VERY WARM THROUGH THIS PERIOD WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES. THIS
ALLOWED FOR HIGH DAILY EVAPORATION RATES WHICH STRESSED VEGETATION
AND FORCED MANY PEOPLE TO IRRIGATE LAWNS AND CROPS. THE AREA ALSO
FELL INTO THE D0 DROUGHT CATEGORY...MEANING ABNORMALLY DRY
CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE WAS 64.7...5.4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
THIS TIES 1987 AS THE 9TH WARMEST MAY ON RECORD IN THE SOUTH BEND
AREA. THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH WAS 97 ON THE 27TH. THIS
ALSO BROKE A RECORD FOR THE ALL TIME WARMEST MAY TEMPERATURE ON
RECORD...EXCEEDING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 96 SET IN 1934. THE THIRD
WARMEST MAY TEMPERATURE ON RECORD ALSO OCCURRED THIS MONTH ON THE
28TH WHEN IT REACHED 95. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 3 DAYS WITH HIGH
TEMPERATURES OF 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER. MAY TYPICALLY AVERAGES LESS
THAN ONE DAY OF 90 DEGREE WEATHER. THE LAST TIME MAY HAD 3 DAYS WITH
90 DEGREES OR HIGHER WAS IN 2006. THE GREATEST NUMBER OF 90 DEGREE
DAYS AT SOUTH BEND IN MAY IS SIX...WHICH OCCURRED IN 1911... 1934
AND 1977.
PRECIPITATION FOR MAY WAS 2.14 INCHES...1.69 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.
PRIOR TO THE 31ST...THIS MAY WAS IN THE TOP 15 DRIEST.
HOWEVER...WITH 0.63 INCHES OF RAIN ON THE LAST DAY MAY 2012 ENDED AS
THE 28TH DRIEST ON RECORD. THERE WERE 8 DAYS WITH AT LEAST 0.01
INCHES OF PRECIPITATION AND 5 DAYS WITH 0.10 OR MORE. ONLY 2 DAYS
HAD A HALF INCH OR MORE OF RAIN AND THERE WERE NO DAYS WITH AN INCH
OR MORE OF RAIN. THE GREATEST 24 HOUR RAINFALL WAS 0.96 ON THE 6TH
AND 7TH.
THERE WAS NO SNOWFALL IN MAY. THE SEASONAL TOTAL FOR 2011-2012 IS
51.2 INCHES...15.4 INCHES BELOW THE NORMAL. THIS SEASONS SNOWFALL
WAS ALSO MORE THAN HALF OF WHAT FELL LAST SEASON...WHICH WAS 105.6
INCHES.
JUNE
...DROUGHT CONDITIONS HIGHLIGHT WILD JUNE AT SOUTH BEND...
DRY AND WARM CONDITIONS CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTH BEND AREA DURING
JUNE. ALTHOUGH AREAS TO THE WEST AND NORTH OF SOUTH BEND RECEIVED
SOME HEAVIER RAINFALLS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH...THE SOUTH BEND AREA
AND POINTS SOUTH AND EAST CONTINUED TO SEE LITTLE TO ALMOST NO
RAINFALL DURING THE MONTH. THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR INDICATED D1
(MODERATE) DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH BEND AREA...WITH D0
(ABNORMALLY DRY) DROUGHT CONDITIONS WEST AND NORTH...AND D3
(EXTREME) DROUGHT CONDITIONS SOUTHEAST OF THE METRO AREA. WITH THE
LACK OF RAINFALL CAME A LACK OF SEVERE WEATHER AS WELL...UNTIL THE
LAST FEW DAYS OF THE MONTH...WHEN THE ORIGINS OF A LONG LIVED
DERECHO PUSHED THROUGH THE AREA...CAUSING MANY DOWNED LIMBS AND
TREES...ALONG WITH MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
DESPITE THE EXTREME HEAT TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH...COOLER
TEMPERATURES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH HELPED HOLD THE AVERAGE
MONTHLY TEMPERATURE AT SOUTH BEND TO ONLY 71.5 DEGREES...WHICH IS
2.4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS
100...WHICH OCCURRED ON THE 28TH. THIS WAS THE FIRST 100 DEGREE DAY
AT SOUTH BEND SINCE JULY 30TH 1999...THE 66TH 100 DEGREE DAY AT
SOUTH BEND ON RECORD...AND TIED FOR THE EIGHTH WARMEST ALL TIME JUNE
TEMPERATURE AT SOUTH BEND. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS
47...WHICH OCCURRED ON THE 13TH AND THE 6TH. THERE WERE 9 DAYS WHERE
THE TEMPERATURE REACHED AT LEAST 90 DEGREES. THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN 7
YEARS ON RECORD AT SOUTH BEND WITH MORE 90 DEGREE DAYS IN THE MONTH
OF JUNE. A RECORD DAILY MAXIMUM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT SOUTH
BEND ON THE 19TH WITH A LOW OF 75. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD
FOR THIS DATE WAS 73 SET IN 1975.
PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS ONLY 1.54 INCHES...WITH 0.76 INCHES
FALLING ON THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE MONTH. THIS IS 2.25 INCHES BELOW
THE NORMAL JUNE VALUE OF 3.79 INCHES. THERE WAS MEASURABLE
PRECIPITATION ON ONLY 6 DAYS THIS MONTH...WITH ONLY 5 OF THESE DAYS
WITH GREATER THAN 0.10 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION...AND ONLY ONE DAY
WITH GREATER THAN 0.50 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION (28TH). THE GREATEST
24 HOUR PRECIPITATION WAS 0.76 INCHES ON THE 29TH AND 30TH. JUNE
2012 IS THE 15TH DRIEST JUNE ON RECORD AT SOUTH BEND.
JULY
...JULY ENDS COOLER AND WETTER AFTER RECORD HEAT AND DROUGHT EARLY
IN THE MONTH AT SOUTH BEND...
DROUGHT CONDITIONS THAT PLAGUED THE SOUTH BEND AREA FROM LATE SPRING
THROUGH EARLY SUMMER CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY AND PERSIST THROUGH
EARLY JULY. THE DROUGHT MONITOR INDICATED D2 (SEVERE) DROUGHT
CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MOST OF THE MONTH...WITH D3
(EXTREME) DROUGHT CONDITIONS SOUTHEAST OF THE METRO AREA.
THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS WORSENED AS EXTREME HEAT PLAGUED THE REGION
FOR THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS OF THE MONTH. TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT WAS
RECORDED FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM THE 4TH THROUGH THE
6TH...WITH A HIGH OF 102 ON THE 6TH...THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE AT
SOUTH BEND SINCE JULY 30TH 1999. THIS STREAK OF THREE CONSECUTIVE
DAYS OF 100+ DEGREE TEMPERATURES IS THE THIRD LONGEST STREAK ON
RECORD AT SOUTH BEND.
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 90 DEGREES 16 TIMES IN JULY...THE MOST
90+ DEGREE DAYS IN A MONTH SINCE JULY 1983. THE ALL TIME RECORD FOR
MOST 90+ DEGREE DAYS IN A MONTH IS 23...WHICH HAPPENED IN JULY 1901.
REMARKABLY...ONLY A TRACE OF PRECIPITATION FELL THROUGH THE 13TH OF
THE MONTH...WHICH COUPLED WITH THE EXTREME HEAT...PUT MAJOR STRESS
ON AREA CROPS AND LAWNS.
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE HIT 80 DEGREES EVERY DAY IN JULY. THIS IS ONLY
THE 3RD JULY ON RECORD WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED...WITH 1955 AND 1921
BEING THE OTHER YEARS. JULY ENDS WITH A CURRENT 36 DAY STREAK OF 80+
DEGREE DAYS. THIS IS THE 5TH LONGEST SUCH STREAK...WITH THE LONGEST
SUCH STREAK AT 53 ENDING JULY 23RD 1921.
HOWEVER...A PATTERN CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH BROUGHT SOME
RELIEF TO THE AREA IN THE FORM OF PRECIPITATION AND COOLER
CONDITIONS. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ONLY REACHED 90 DEGREES TWICE AFTER
THE 18TH OF THE MONTH...WHILE HITTING 90 DEGREES 14 OUT OF THE FIRST
18 DAYS OF THE MONTH. THE FOUR DAYS THAT DID NOT HIT 90 DURING THIS
STRETCH REACHED 89 DEGREES EACH DAY.
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS 79.5 DEGREES...WHICH IS
6.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS IS THE SECOND WARMEST MONTH EVER AT
SOUTH BEND...ONLY BEHIND JULY 1921...WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
FOR THE MONTH WAS 80.0 DEGREES. THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE
MONTH WAS 102 ON THE 6TH...AND THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH
WAS 58 ON THE 29TH.
THE AFOREMENTIONED PATTERN CHANGE BROUGHT A SERIES OF THUNDERSTORM
COMPLEXES THROUGH THE REGION OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS OF THE
MONTH. EVEN THOUGH NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL IN THE FIRST 13
DAYS OF THE MONTH...6.48 INCHES FELL FROM THE 14TH THROUGH THE END
OF THE MONTH...BRINGING RELIEF TO THE CROPS AND LAWNS THAT WERE
SPARED FROM EARLIER IN THE MONTH. INCREDIBLY...THIS MAKES JULY 2012
THE 8TH WETTEST JULY ON RECORD! THE 6.48 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FOR
THE MONTH IS 2.48 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL
ON ONLY 10 DAYS THIS MONTH...HOWEVER 4 OF THESE DAYS HAD OVER 0.50
INCHES OF PRECIPITATION...AND 2 OFF THESE DAYS HAD OVER 1.00 INCHES
OF PRECIPITATION. A DAILY RAINFALL RECORD WAS BROKEN ON THE 19TH AS
2.06 INCHES FELL...BREAKING THE PREVIOUS DAILY RECORD OF 2.04 INCHES
IN 1896.
AUGUST
...COOLER AND WETTER THAN NORMAL AUGUST A WELCOME RELIEF...
THE PATTERN CHANGE THAT BEGAN IN MID JULY CONTINUED THROUGH AUGUST
WITH COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION
ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE RAINFALL
THIS MONTH COMBINED WITH WHAT FELL AT THE END OF JULY LED TO SOME
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DROUGHT SITUATION. MUCH OF THE REGION IMPROVED
FROM THE D3 AND D4 CATEGORIES TO D1...WHICH IS STILL CONSIDERED
MODERATE. THE MAIN REASON FOR THE AREA REMAINING IN A D1 DROUGHT
DESPITE ABOVE NORMAL RAINFALL WAS DUE TO THE OVERALL PRECIPITATION
DEFICIT AND HYDROLOGIC ISSUES. LAKE...RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS
REMAINED WELL BELOW NORMAL BUT THEY DID INCREASE SOMEWHAT DURING THE
MONTH. THE BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT WAS SEEN IN VEGETATION AND CROPS AS
LAWNS TURNED GREEN AND LUSH WHILE FORECASTS OF SOYBEAN YIELDS
IMPROVED WITH THE PERFECTLY TIMED RAINFALL.
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR AUGUST AT SOUTH BEND WAS 70.2
DEGREES...1.1 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 36TH COOLEST
AUGUST ON RECORD. THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 80.7 AND THE
AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 59.8. THE THERMOMETER REACHED 90 DEGREES
OR HIGHER ON 4 DAYS...THE 3RD...4TH...25TH AND 31ST. THE
WARMEST TEMPERATURE WAS 92 ON THE 3RD AND THE COOLEST TEMPERATURE
WAS 47 ON THE 18TH.
THE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 5.26 INCHES...1.50 INCHES ABOVE
NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 21ST WETTEST AUGUST. MEASURABLE
PRECIPITATION FELL ON 11 DAYS WITH 3 DAYS HAVING A HALF INCH OR MORE
AND ONE DAY HAVING GREATER THAN AN INCH...WHICH OCCURRED ON THE 4TH
WHEN 1.35 INCHES WAS MEASURED.
SEPTEMBER
...BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE INTO SEPTEMBER...
THE COOL PATTERN CONTINUED THROUGH SEPTEMBER WITH COOLER THAN NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA
AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION DID NOT
HELP THE ONGOING MODERATE DROUGHT CONDITIONS...ALTHOUGH COOL TEMPS
AND SHORTER DAYS HAVE ALLOWED AREA VEGETATION TO REMAIN GREEN.
HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS ARE STILL POOR AS LAKE...RIVER...AND STREAM
LEVELS REMAIN WELL BELOW NORMAL. MANY AREAS SAW THEIR FIRST FROST
BETWEEN THE 19TH AND 24TH AS A FEW NIGHTS DROPPED TO NEAR FREEZING
IN OUTLYING AREAS.
THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR SEPTEMBER AT SOUTH BEND WAS 63.0
DEGREES...0.9 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. THIS TIES FOR THE 33RD COOLEST
SEPTEMBER ON RECORD AT SOUTH BEND. THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS
73.6 AND THE AVERAGE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 52.4. THE TEMPERATURE
REACHED 90 DEGREES 1 DAY...THE 3RD...AND 80 DEGREES OR HIGHER ON 9
DAYS...THE 1ST THROUGH 4TH...THE 6TH AND 7TH...AND THE 11TH THROUGH
13TH. THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE WAS 90 ON THE 3RD AND THE COOLEST
TEMPERATURE WAS 37 ON THE 24TH.
THE MONTHLY PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS 2.03 INCHES...1.50 INCHES BELOW
NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 35TH DRIEST SEPTEMBER FOR THE PERIOD 1893
TO 2012. MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL ON 11 DAYS BUT THERE WAS
NEVER A HALF INCH OR MORE ON ANY DAY. THE HIGHEST DAILY RAINFALL
OCCURRED ON THE 5TH...WHEN 0.49 INCHES FELL.
OCTOBER
...ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN
OCTOBER...
OCTOBER WAS A RELATIVELY WET MONTH AND TEMPERATURES WERE JUST
SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL DESPITE MANY DAYS OF MEASURABLE RAINFALL. A
STRONG BLAST OF COLD CANADIAN AIR MOVED INTO THE REGION AT THE END
OF THE MONTH...COMBINING WITH THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE SANDY TO
PRODUCE COLD...WINDY AND WET CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA.
MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL ON 20 OF THE 31 DAYS OF OCTOBER AT
SOUTH BEND REGIONAL AIRPORT. THERE WERE 4 DAYS WITH A HALF INCH OR
MORE. TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH WAS 4.39 INCHES...1.07
INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. DESPITE ALL THE DAYS OF RAIN...THE MONTHLY
TOTAL ONLY TIES FOR THE 25TH WETTEST OCTOBER ON RECORD.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE OF 50.8 WAS 1.3 DEGREES BELOW
NORMAL. THE MONTH SEEMED COOLER TO MANY DUE TO THE MANY DAYS WITH
PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER...A VERY WARM PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 22ND
THROUGH THE 25TH HELPED INCREASE THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE.
SOUTH BEND OFFICIALLY HIT 78 DEGREES ON THE 24TH AND 25TH AND SOME
LOCATIONS REACHED 80 DEGREES. THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH
WAS ACTUALLY ON THE 4TH WHEN THE HIGH WAS 80. THIS DAY WAS
SANDWICHED BETWEEN A HIGH OF 62 ON THE 3RD AND 56 ON THE 5TH. THE
LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH WAS ON THE 8TH WITH A LOW OF 31.
NOVEMBER
...A RECORD DRY NOVEMBER WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES...
NOVEMBER WAS ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS IN TERMS OF PRECIPITATION AS
SOUTH BEND HAD ITS DRIEST NOVEMBER ON RECORD. TEMPERATURES WERE
BELOW NORMAL FOR THE FOURTH MONTH IN A ROW DESPITE SEVERAL SHORT
WARM SPELLS DURING THE MONTH. COOL CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE REMAINED
LARGELY IN CONTROL OUTSIDE OF A FEW FAST MOVING SYSTEMS THAT BROUGHT
WARMER TEMPERATURES AND LITTLE TO NO RAINFALL TO THE AREA. THIS
ALLOWED FOR DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA TO DETERIORATE BACK
TO D1 OR MODERATE DROUGHT WITH BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL...STREAMFLOWS
AND WATER LEVELS.
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH AT SOUTH BEND WAS 0.26
INCHES...3.01 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE DRIEST NOVEMBER
ON RECORD...BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF 0.37 INCHES SET IN 1917 AND
1904. MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL ON JUST 3 OUT OF THE 30 DAYS OF
NOVEMBER AT SOUTH BEND REGIONAL AIRPORT WITH 0.23 INCHES FALLING ON
ONE DAY...NOVEMBER 12TH. A TRACE OF SNOW FELL ON 4 DAYS IN
NOVEMBER....BRINGING THE MONTHLY TOTAL TO A TRACE WHICH IS 4.8
INCHES BELOW NORMAL.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE OF 40.1 DEGREES WAS 0.6 DEGREE BELOW
NORMAL. A WARM SPELL WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 50S TO UPPER 60S
FROM NOVEMBER 9-12 HELPED INCREASE THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE.
THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH WAS ON THE 11TH WHEN THE HIGH
TEMPERATURE REACHED 69 DEGREES. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH
WAS 21 DEGREES ON THE 5TH.
DECEMBER
...A WARM AND WET DECEMBER WITH BELOW NORMAL SNOWFALL...
DECEMBER WAS CHARACTERIZED BY A MORE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN THAN THE
PREVIOUS MONTH WITH SEVERAL STRONG WEATHER SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH
THE REGION. TEMPERATURES WERE MUCH ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE FIRST 20
DAYS OF THE MONTH WITH AVERAGE TEMPERATURES NEARLY 10 TO 12 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL! THIS CAUSED MOST PRECIPITATION TO FALL IN THE FORM OF
RAIN INSTEAD OF SNOW MORE TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. DECEMBER
ALSO ENDED THE STREAK OF BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES FROM AUGUST TO
NOVEMBER. A PATTERN CHANGE FOR THE LAST PART OF THE MONTH ALLOWED
FOR COLDER AIR TO INFILTRATE THE REGION...BRINGING TEMPERATURES
CLOSER TO NORMAL WITH SEVERAL ROUNDS OF LIGHT SNOWFALL. TWO STRONG
WINTER STORMS MOVED THROUGH THE REGION...ONE TO THE NORTHWEST ON THE
20TH AND ONE TO THE SOUTHEAST ON THE 26TH...LEAVING THE LOCAL AREA
JUST OUTSIDE THE FRINGES OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL AND BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS. DESPITE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE
MONTH...D0 TO D1 DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUED ACROSS THE AREA AS
LONG TERM DEFICITS REMAINED SIGNIFICANT WITH BELOW NORMAL WATER
LEVELS ON AREA LAKES AND RIVERS.
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH AT SOUTH BEND WAS 3.43 INCHES...
0.82 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 33RD WETTEST DECEMBER ON
RECORD. MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FELL ON 16 DAYS OUT OF THE MONTH
WITH 1.22 INCHES FALLING ON THE 20TH AND 21ST. 9.1 INCHES OF SNOW
FELL FOR THE MONTH WHICH IS 8.2 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. THE GREATEST 24
HOUR TOTAL OF SNOWFALL WAS 3.2 INCHES WHICH FELL ON DECEMBER 29TH
DUE TO LAKE EFFECT.
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE OF 36.3 DEGREES WAS 7.5 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL. THIS RANKS AS THE 5TH WARMEST DECEMBER ON RECORD. A
WARM FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH WITH TEMPERATURES NEARLY 10 TO 15
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ALLOWED FOR MONTHLY AVERAGES MUCH ABOVE NORMAL.
THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH WAS ON THE 3RD WHEN THE HIGH
TEMPERATURE REACHED 65 DEGREES. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF THE MONTH
WAS 15 DEGREES ON THE 30TH.
$$
LASHLEY/OBERGFELL/GREENAWALT/BENTLEY