National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce
 
000
NOUS44 KLZK 020040 RRA
PNSLZK

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...PART 2
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
640 PM CST Sun Jan 1 2017

...A Review of 2016 Weather And Climate Data for North Little Rock...

Summary
====================================================================
2016 at North Little Rock was the warmest year since 2012, and by
average yearly temperature was the 4th warmest year on record. Even
though rainfall was above average, it was the driest year in two
years. Rainfall was above average for the second year in a row.

Temperatures were warmer than average for just about the entire year.
The only significantly cooler periods were in May, August, and in
December. By departure from normal, October was warmest, and
May was coolest.

Rainfall was mostly below average through the first couple of months.
However, this completely reversed in March and continued through April.
Over 20 inches of rain fell during this time period, ensuring the spring
season as one of the wettest ever recorded. Rain picked back up in middle
of summer, and July and August ensured that summer was, like the spring,
one of the wettest ever recorded. Rain diminished significantly in
September, with the fall season the driest since records were
started in 1975.

Snowfall was above average for the third year in a row. However, all the
measurable snow during the year came from one storm. Heavy snow fell
in central Arkansas during the overnight hours of January 21st and
22nd, with over seven inches. Except for trace amounts in mid-December, there
was no other snowfall during the year.

Below are averages and extremes observed during the year. Remember...most
of the data below is preliminary until certified correct by the National
Center for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina.

Temperatures
==============================================================================
----------|  Average Temperatures     |--------Extremes and Dates------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Month     | High  Low   Average  DFN  | Highest/Date(s)  | Lowest/Date(s)    |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January   | 49.4  33.5    41.4  +0.3  | 73/31st          | 22/19th,18th,11th |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February  | 57.8  39.1    48.4  +3.1  | 74/21st          | 26/10th           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March     | 67.1  47.8    57.4  +3.5  | 85/15th          | 35/20th           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April     | 72.6  55.3    64.0  +1.2  | 83/28th          | 42/2nd            |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May       | 77.5  59.4    68.4  -2.5  | 87/24th          | 49/6th            |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
June      | 89.8  71.8    80.8  +2.1  | 96/17th          | 64/6th            |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July      | 92.9  74.1    83.5  +1.1  | 98/22nd          | 66/10th           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August    | 88.3  73.7    81.0  -1.0  | 97/2nd           | 66/22nd           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September | 87.1  67.6    77.3  +2.8  | 93/14th          | 54/29th           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October   | 79.7  59.4    69.5  +5.7  | 88/6th, 5th      | 47/21st           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November  | 66.0  47.5    56.7  +3.9  | 83/1st           | 33/20th           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December  | 51.6  36.1    43.9  +0.8  | 75/17th          | 12/19th           |
==============================================================================
=  Year   | 73.3  55.4    64.4  +1.7  | 98 Jul. 22nd     | 12 Dec. 19th      =
==============================================================================
DFN - Departure from normal, or difference between the average temperature
and the 30-year average temperature (1981-2010)


Precipitation

===================================================================
Monthly Rainfall Data     |            Highest Totals             |
--------------------------|----------------------------------------
Month     | Total |  DFN  |  Calendar Day   |  24-hour Period     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
January   |  3.23 | -0.19 |   1.21/9th      |  1.28/9th-10th      |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
February  |  1.83 | -1.83 |   1.23/23rd     |  1.49/23rd-24th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
March     | 12.52 | +7.75 |   4.94/30th     |  5.20/30th-31st     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
April     |  7.93 | +3.14 |   3.81/29th     |  5.04/29th-30th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
May       |  2.71 | -2.25 |   1.06/9th      |  1.06/9th           |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
June      |  1.92 | -1.39 |   0.74/1st      |  0.74/1st           |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
July      |  6.43 | +2.62 |   2.26/10th     |  2.26/10th          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
August    |  7.61 | +4.81 |   2.17/7th      |  2.17/7th           |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
September |  0.93 | -2.38 |   0.57/18th     |  0.57/18th          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
October   |  1.69 | -3.11 |   0.87/14th     |  0.87/14th          |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
November  |  2.49 | -2.90 |   1.44/28th     |  1.46/27th-28th     |
-------------------------------------------------------------------
December  |  3.10 | -1.91 |   1.34/24th     |  1.40/23rd-24th     |
===================================================================
=Yearly   | 52.39 | +2.36 |   4.94 Mar. 30th|  5.20 Mar. 30th-31st=
===================================================================

============================================================================
Monthly Snowfall Data                 |                                    |
(Snow, Sleet, and Hail)               |           Highest Totals           |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Month     | Total | DFN  | Avg. Depth  | Calendar Day  |  24-hour Period   |
-------------------------|-------------|------------------------------------
January   |  7.2  | +5.5 |     0.6     | 6.9/22nd      | 7.2/21st-22nd     |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
February  |  0.0  | -1.8 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
March     |   T   | -0.4 |     0.0     |   T/30th,13th |   T/30th,13th     |
          |(Hail) |      |             |     (Hail)    |      (Hail)       |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
April     |  0.0  |  0.0 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July      |   T   |  0.0 |     0.0     |   T/10th      |   T/10th          |
          |(Hail) |      |             |   (Hail)      |   (Hail)          |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
October   |  0.0  |  0.0 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
November  |  0.0  |  0.0 |     0.0     |               |                   |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
December  |   T   | -0.5 |     0.0     |               |                   |
============================================================================
=Yearly   |  7.2  | +2.8 |     0.1     | 6.9 Jan. 22nd | 7.2 Jan 21st-22nd =
============================================================================


Summary By Month
==========================================================================
Monthly Averages |          |         |        |         |
Temperatures &   |  Warmest | Coolest |  Most  |  Least  |  Monthly/Yearly
Precipitation    |   Since  |  Since  | Since  | Since   |  Rank on Record
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
January          |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Low      |   2013   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2013   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2013  |         |
Snowfall         |          |         |  2000  |         |    4th Snowiest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
February         |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2012   |         |        |         |
Average Low      |   2012   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2012   |         |        |         |    10th Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  1999   |     6th Driest
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2005   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
March            |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2012   |         |        |         |
Average Low      |   2012   |         |        |         |
Average Monthly  |   2012   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  1990  |         | ***Wettest
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2012   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
April            |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Low      |   2012   |         |        |         |     9th Warmest
Average Monthly  |   2012   |         |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  2011  |         |     5th Wettest
Snowfall         |          |         |        |         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
May              |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2013  |        |         |     9th Coolest
Average Low      |          |   1997  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   1997  |        |         |     8th Coolest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2012   |     6th Driest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
June             |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2012   |         |        |         |
Average Low      |   2011   |         |        |         |     4th Warmest
Average Monthly  |   2012   |         |        |         |     6th Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2013   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
July             |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |   2014  |        |         |     2nd Warmest
Average Monthly  |          |   2014  |        |         |    10th Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |  2009  |         |     6th Wettest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
August           |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2009  |        |         |     6th Coolest
Average Low      |   2011   |         |        |         | ***10th Warmest
Average Monthly  |          |   2014  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |  1991  |         |     2nd Wettest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
September        |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2014  |        |         |     9th Warmest
Average Low      |   2007   |         |        |         |     7th Warmest
Average Monthly  |   2013   |         |        |         |     7th Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |  2004  |         |     3rd Driest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
October          |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2010   |         |        |         | ***Warmest
Average Low      |   2004   |         |        |         |     2nd Warmest
Average Monthly  |   2000   |         |        |         | ***Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2010   |    11th Driest
Snowfall         |          |         |        |         |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
November         |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2003   |         |        |         |     5th Warmest
Average Low      |          |   2014  |        |         |     8th Warmest
Average Monthly  |   2003   |         |        |         |     5th Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2014   |
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2015   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
December         |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |          |   2014  |        |         |
Average Low      |          |   2013  |        |         |
Average Monthly  |          |   2014  |        |         |
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2014   |
Snowfall         |          |         |  2014  |         |
============================================================================
Yearly           |          |         |        |         |
Average High     |   2012   |         |        |         |     8th Warmest
Average Low      |   2012   |         |        |         |     3rd Warmest
Average Monthly  |   2012   |         |        |         |     4th Warmest
Rainfall         |          |         |        |  2014   |
Snowfall         |          |         |        |  2014   |
============================================================================


First and Last Dates     Dates            Notes
==========================================================
Last Freeze         | February 25th  | Earliest since 2012
First 80-degree Day | March 15th     | Earliest since 2012
First 90-degree Day | June 10th      | Latest since 2013
Last 90-degree Day  | September 25th | Earliest since 2013
Last 80-degree Day  | November 16th  | Latest since 2013
First Freeze        | December 8th   | Latest since 2013
==========================================================

Number of Days With Temperatures      Notes
=======================================================
At or below freezing           | 32 | Fewest since 2012
At or above 90 degrees         | 79 | Most since 2011
At or above 100 degrees        |  0 | Fewest since 2014
=======================================================

Daily Record Temperatures Tied or Broken During the Year
============================================================================
Date       Record Type                   New Record   Previous Record
============================================================================
Jan. 15th  Warmest Low Temperature       64 in 2016      62 in 2000
Jan. 31st  Warmest Low Temperature       58 in 2016      57 in 1988
Feb. 20th  Warmest Low Temperature       60 in 2016      55 in 2007
Feb. 21st  Warmest Low Temperature       60 in 2016      55 in 2007
Mar. 9th   Warmest Low Temperature       58 in 2016      57 in 1990
Mar. 15th  High Temperature              85 in 2016      84 in 1977
Apr. 26th  Warmest Low Temperature       67 in 2016      67 in 2012, 1989
May 11th   Warmest Low temperature       70 in 2016      70 in 2011, 2000
Jun. 16th  High Temperature              94 in 2016      94 in 1996, 1990, 1985
Jun. 17th  Warmest Low Temperature       78 in 2016      77 in 1990
Jun. 23rd  Warmest Low Temperature       78 in 2016      78 in 2010, 2009, 1984
Jun. 24th  Warmest Low Temperature       78 in 2016      78 in 2011, 1898
Aug. 11th  Warmest Low Temperature       78 in 2016      78 in 2007, 1999, 1980
Aug. 14th  Coolest High Temperature      76 in 2016      79 in 1992
Aug. 18th  Coolest High Temperature      78 in 2016      78 in 1981
Aug. 20th  Coolest High Temperature      76 in 2016      76 in 2008, 1994
Sep. 8th   Warmest Low Temperature       76 in 2016      75 in 1989
Sep. 24th  High Temperature              92 in 2016      90 in 1998
Sep. 25th  Warmest Low Temperature       73 in 2016      73 in 1986
Oct. 12th  Warmest Low Temperature       66 in 2016      66 in 1997
Oct. 17th  High Temperature              86 in 2016      86 in 2011
Oct. 18th  Warmest Low Temperature       70 in 2016      67 in 1985
Oct. 19th  Warmest Low Temperature       69 in 2016      69 in 2004
Oct. 29th  High Temperature              82 in 2016      82 in 2004
Oct. 30th  High Temperature              85 in 2016      83 in 2000, 1998
Oct. 31st  High Temperature              85 in 2016      85 in 2000
Dec. 17th  High Temperature              75 in 2016      74 in 1984
Dec. 25th  High Temperature              66 in 2016      64 in 1982
Dec. 26th  Warmest Low Temperature       59 in 2016      52 in 2015

Honorable mention...
Mar. 15th - The high of 85 was the warmest March temperature at North Little
Rock since 2012, and most recently tied March 31st, 2012 for the 3rd warmest
March temperature on record.
Nov. 1st - The high of 83 most recently tied November 17th, 2003 for the 2nd
warmest temperature on record for North Little Rock for November.
Nov. 2nd-3rd - The daily average temperature of 73.0 most recently tied
November 14th, 2011 for the 3rd highest daily average temperature on record
for the month of November.
Dec. 17th - The high temperature of 75 most recently tied December 11th, 2015
for the 4th warmest temperature on record for North Little Rock for December.

Daily Record Rainfall Tied or Broken During the Year
====================================================
Date        New Record     Previous Record
====================================================
Mar. 30th  4.94 in 2016      1.71 in 2002
Jul. 10th  2.26 in 2016      1.13 in 2007
Aug. 7th   2.17 in 2016      0.43 in 1981
Aug. 14th  1.08 in 2016      0.56 in 2006
Aug. 16th  0.98 in 2016      0.52 in 1986

Honorable mention...
Mar. 30th - 4.94 inches of rain marked the highest calendar day rainfall
in the month of March at North Little Rock since March 7th, 1990, and the
highest March calendar day rainfall on record. The previous highest March
calendar day rainfall was 3.48 inches, on March 7th, 1990. It was also the
highest calendar day rainfall at North Little Rock since December 23rd, 2009,
and ranked as the 6th highest calendar day rainfall of all-time at North
Little Rock.
Mar. 30th-31st - The 24-hour rainfall total of 5.23 inches marked the highest
24-hour March rainfall since March 20th-21st, 2012, and the highest 24-hour
rainfall in the month of March at North Little Rock. The previous record was
5.14 inches on March 20th-21st, 2012.
Mar. 1st-31st - The month of March 2016 was the wettest month since October 2009,
and the 6th wettest month of all time.
Apr. 29th - 3.81 inches of rain marked the highest calendar day rainfall
in the month of April at North Little Rock since April 29th, 2006, and
was the 2nd highest calendar day rainfall on record in the month of April.
Apr. 29th-30th - The 5.04 inches of rainfall marked the highest 24-hour
rainfall total on record in the month of April at North Little Rock. The
previous record was 4.43 inches on April 29th, 2006. Over all, this ranked
as the 9th highest 24-hour rainfall total on record at North Little Rock.
Jul. 12th - 2.26 inches of rain marked the wettest July day since July 12th,
2010, and the 10th wettest July calendar day rainfall at North Little Rock.
Aug. 7th - 2.17 inches of rain marked the highest August daily rainfall since
1997, and the 7th highest August calendar day rainfall.

Daily Record Snowfall Tied or Broken During the Year
====================================================
DATE        NEW RECORD        OLD RECORD
====================================================
Jan. 22nd  6.9 in 2016       4.0 in 1995
Dec. 18th    T in 2016         T in 1996, 1989, 1985

Honorable mention...
Jan. 22nd - 6.9 inches of snow marked the 2nd highest calendar day snowfall
on record in the month of January. This was also the 3rd highest calendar
day snowfall on record at North Little Rock, just behind December 25th,
2012 (8.6 inches), and January 6th, 1988 (10.5 inches).
Jan. 21st-22nd - 7.2 inches of snow marked the highest 24-hour snowfall in
January since 2000, and tied January 27th-28th, 2000 for the 2nd highest
24-hour snowfall in the month of January. This also tied January 27th-28th,
2000 and January 31st-February 1st, 1985 for the 4th highest 24-hour snowfall
over all.

Monthly Records Tied or Broken During the Year
============================================================================
Month     Record Type                 New Record/Date   Previous Record/Date
============================================================================
March     Highest Monthly Rainfall     12.52 in 2016      10.09 in 1990
October   Highest Avg. Monthly High     79.7 in 2016       78.8 in 2010
          Highest Avg. Monthly Temp.    69.5 in 2016       68.4 in 2000

Honorable mention...
Jan. - The 7.2 inches of snow that fell during the month tied January of 2000
for the 8th snowiest month over all since records were started in 1975.

Other Records Broken During the Year/Miscellaneous Phenomena
=============================================================================
Mar. 13th - Large hail to 1.5 inches in diameter fell with the passage of a
severe thunderstorm.
Mar. 30th - A strong thunderstorm produced hail one half to three quarters of
an inch in diameter.
Jul. 10th - Hail fell with the passage of a strong thunderstorm on the 10th.

$$

57