Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

December's Temperatures Above Normal

While no one needs to be told it's cold right now, this wasn't the case in December.

According to John Teeter, local meteorologist, the average temperature in December was 3.9 degrees above normal. The average temperature for the month was 48.8 degrees, while the norm is 44.9 on average.

Rainfall, however, was again below normal for December, as well as for the year overall.

Teeter said rain fell six days during the month, dropping 3.38 inches of moisture. The normal amount of rain for a December is 5.28 inches, leaving the area 1.90 inches below normal.

For the year, according to Teeter, the region received 51.77 inches of rain, while the norm is 55.51 inches. This translates to a 3.74 inch shortfall.

Cale weatherman Davis Benton said 3.09 inches of rain fell in his area in December, while the annual total was 59.63 inches for 1996. Both numbers, he said, are about normal.

In addition, one inch of snow was measured during 1996, with the flaky white stuff falling on Jan. 6, 1996.

Benton said the lowest temperature recorded for the year was 12 degrees on Jan. 8.

The region's most significant weather event for the year was a Sept. 15 tornado, which touched down and caused considerable damage, but resulted in no injuries.

Teeter said the highest temperature recorded in Prescott during December was 77 on the 11th, while the lowest was 14 on Dec. 20.

He said there were eight days during the month when the mercury dipped below freezing. This is about half the usual number of days below freezing for a December.

Additionally, Teeter said, there were no watches or warnings for the month.

The most unusual weather event for the month, according to Teeter, was 10 days of heavy fog. He said the fog records aren't complete, but he doesn't remember this much fog during recent years.

"It appears the 'wooley worms' may be right about the winter," Teeter said. "December was a very mild winter month."

Looking at January, Teeter said the normal amount of rainfall for the month is 3.76 inches, while the average temperature is 41.5 degrees.

With recent and current temperatures, it will be interesting to see if the norms are achieved.