CLIMATE OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA: An Abridged On-Line Version of
NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS WR-177
by
Robert J. Schmidli
Weather Service Forecast Office
Phoenix, Arizona
First Printed April 1969 as WR-38
Revised and Reprinted as WR-177, March 1983 and
December 1986
May 1996 (Revised)
On-Line Version by R.S. Cerveny, Office of Climatology, ASU (December,
1996)
This publication has been reviewed and is approved for publication by
Scientific Services Division, Western Region.
CONTENTS
Abstract
General Geographical and Climatological Summary
Climatological Summary by Month
History of Weather Observations
Elevations at National Weather Service Forecast Office
Temperature
Normal Maximum, Minimum and Mean by Months
Highest Mean and Lowest Mean by Months and Year of Occurrence
Highest and Lowest Mean Maximum and Highest and Lowest
Greatest # of Consecutive Months Above and Below Normal
Highest Maximum and Lowest Minimum by Months and Day and Year
of Occurrence
Lowest Maximum and Highest Minimum by Months and Day and Year
of Occurrence
Greatest and Least Monthly Temperature Range by Months and
year of Occurrence
Hottest and Coolest Summers and Warmest and Coldest Winters
Hottest 3 and 2 Consecutive Months
Hottest Single Months
Warmest & Coldest Winters
Coldest 2 consecutive and Single Months Humidity
Dew Point Temperature
Highest Hourly Dew Points
Highest Daily Dew Points
Highest Monthly Dew Points
Lowest Hourly Dew Points
Lowest Daily Dew Points
Lowest Monthly Dew Points
Lowest Relative Humidities
Heat Index (Apparent Temperature)
Air Temperature / Relative Humidity
The Myth of Increasing Moisture Levels in Phoenix
Average Temperature & Relative Humidity in Percent by
Five-Year Periods
Temperature Records
Average Number of Days of 100 or Higher by Months, and
Earliest and Latest Date of Occurrence
Average Number of Days of 110 or Higher by Months and Earliest
and Latest Date of Occurrence
Probability in Percent of Observing 100 or Higher, 105 or
Higher, and 110 or Higher
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with 120 or Higher, 115 or
Higher, 110 or Higher, 105 or Higher, 100 or Higher, and 99 or Higher
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with Maximum 75 or Lower,
60 or Lower, 55 or Lower, 50 or Lower, 45 or Lower, and 42 or Lower
Greatest Number of Days in One Year with Maximum 90 or Higher,
100 or Higher, 105 or Higher, 110 or Higher, 115 or Higher, and 120 or
Higher
Least Number of Days in One Year with Maximum 90 or Higher,
100 or Higher, 105 or Higher, and 110 or Higher
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with Minimum 35 or Lower,
32 or Lower, 30 or Lower, 28 or Lower, 25 or Lower, and 20 or Lower
Greatest Number of Days in One Winter with Minimum 32 or
Lower, 28 or Lower, 24 or Lower, and 20 or Lower
Least Number of Days in One Winter with Minimum 32 or Lower
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with Minimum 85 or Higher
and 80 or Higher
Greatest Number of Days in One Year with Minimum 85 or Higher
and 80 or Higher71
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with Mean 100 or Higher
Greatest Number of Days in One Year with Mean 100 or Higher
Highest and Lowest Daily Mean
Greatest and Least Daily Temperature Range
Normal and Highest and Lowest Heating Degree Days by Months
and Year of Occurrence (Base 65 Degrees)
Normal and Highest and Lowest Cooling Degree Days by Months
and Year of Occurrence (Base of 65 Degrees)
Average and Highest and Lowest Cooling Degree Days by Months
and Year of Occurrence (Base 80 Degrees)
Freeze and Growing Season Data
Precipitation
Normal Total and Maximum and Minimum Total by Months and Year
of Occurrence
Years in Which There Were 5 (the most) Calendar Months Without
Measurable Precipitation
Years in Which All Twelve Calendar Months had Measurable
Precipitation
Daily Normals of Precipitation
Greatest Number of Days with Trace or More and 0.01 Inches or
More by Months and Year of Occurrence and Average Number of Days with
0.01 Inches or More by Months
Greatest Number of Days with 0.10 Inches or More, 0.50 Inches
or More, and 1.00 Inch or More by Months and Year of Occurrence
Maximum Amounts for 5, 10, 15, and 30 Minutes; 1, 2, and 24
Hours by Months and Day and Year of Occurrence
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with Trace or More, 0.01
Inches or More, 0.25 Inches or More, 0.50 Inches or More, and 1.00 Inch
or More
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days without Trace or More and
without 0.01 Inches or More
Amounts and Dates of All Snowfalls
Daily Frequency of Occurrence in Percent of Trace or More,
0.01 Inches or More, 0.10 Inches or More, 0.25 Inches or More, 0.50
Inches or More, and 1.00 Inch or More
Frequency of Occurrence of 0.01 Inches or More on Consecutive
Days
Estimated Return Periods for Short-Duration Precipitation
Monthly and Annual Precipitation, Monthly and Annual Greatest
24-hour Precipitation
Thunderstorms, Hail & Tornadoes
Arizona Monsoon: Discussion
Monsoon Statistics (Average Dates of Start, End, etc.)
Monsoon Start & End Dates: 1948-1995
Wettest & Driest Monsoons
Average Number of Days with Thunderstorms by Months and
Average Number of Days with Hail by Months
Greatest Number of Days with Thunderstorms and Greatest Number
of Days with Hail by Months and Year of Occurrence - 1896-1990
Frequency of Thunderstorm Occurrence in Percent by Days
Lightning Information
Description of Known Tornadoes and Funnel Clouds in the
Greater Phoenix Area - 1955-1990
Sunshine, Cloudiness, and Fog
Average and Highest and Lowest Percentage of Possible Sunshine
by Months and Year of Occurrence
Average Annual Percentage of Possible Sunshine at Phoenix as
Compared to other Major U. S. Cities
Average Number of Clear, Partly Cloudy, Cloudy, and Heavy Fog
Days by Months
Greatest Number of Consecutive Days with 100 Percent Sunshine
and 0 Percent Sunshine
Wind
Average Speed and Prevailing Direction by Months and Peak Gust
by Months and Day and Year of Occurrence
Mean Frequency of Occurrence of Peak Gusts by Months
Estimated Return Periods of Peak Wind Gusts by Months
Pressure
Average and Highest and Lowest Station Pressure by Months and
Day and Year of Occurrence
Highest and Lowest Sea-Level Pressure by Months and Day and
Year of Occurrence
Normal 6-Hourly Pressure Changes in Inches
Flying Weather
Percentage Frequencies of Ceiling-Visibility
Frequencies of Visibility-Restricting Phenomena by Months
Holiday Weather Information
Average Maximum and Minimum Temperature, Highest Maximum and
Lowest Minimum and Year of Occurrence, and Frequency of .01 Inches or
More of Precipitation in Percent on Various Holidays
Weather Extremes
Weather Extremes of Temperature, Precipitation, Snowfall,
Pressure, and Wind for Phoenix as Compared to Those of Arizona and
United States