NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

DECEMBER 2018

2-8: For much of the week, cold, dry weather covered the country. Any precipitation was generally light and often limited to the Rockies, Intermountain West, Midwest, and Northeast. cold conditions prevailing, weekly temperatures averaged at least 10°F
below normal in portions of the northern Intermountain West and more than 5°F below normal across much of the western and central U.S. Slightly above-normal temperatures were confined to parts of California and southernmost sections of Texas and
Florida. In some snow-covered areas of the West, early-week temperatures plunged to sub-zero levels. For example, daily-record lows on December 3 dipped to -2°F in South Lake Tahoe, CA, and -13°F at Utah’s Bryce Canyon Airport. Elsewhere in Utah,
Randolph posted a daily-record low of -17°F on December 5. In contrast, warmth lingered early in the week across the South. On December 2, Vero Beach, FL, notched a monthly record high of 89°F. Vero Beach’s previous record of 87°F had been most
recently set on December 1, 2016. Daily-record highs for December 2 rose to 83°F in New Orleans, LA; 81°F in Mobile, AL; 75°F in Athens, GA; and 74°F in Chattanooga, TN. On December 3 in Florida, monthly record highs were tied in Melbourne (90°F;
previously achieved on December 6, 1942) and Vero Beach (89°F; attained the previous day).

9-15: A west-to-east warming trend brought to an end a protracted cold spell that had gripped much of the eastern half of the country since early November. However, before milder air arrived, an early-season winter storm delivered heavy snow to a broad
area, including the southern Mid-Atlantic region, starting on December 9. Colder-than-normal weather dominated the Gulf and Atlantic Coast States, with temperatures averaging as much as 10°F below normal in northern New England. In contrast, weekly
temperatures averaged at least 10°F above normal in parts of Montana, northern Minnesota, and the Dakotas. Periods of precipitation spread inland across the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, but large sections of the Plains, Southwest, and upper
Midwest experienced dry conditions. . In western Washington, peak gusts on December 14 reached 52 mph in Hoquiam and 54 mph in Seattle. Hoquiam also posted a daily record-tying high of 57°F on December 14, while daily-record highs climbed to 63°F in
Astoria, OR, and Bellingham, WA. Late in the week, warmth expanded eastward across the nation’s northern tier. Record-setting highs for December 15 rose to 48°F in Ashland, WI, and Brainerd, MN. In northern Maine, both Caribou and Houlton
experienced a temperature rebound from -13 to 39°F between December 13 and 15.

16-22: Low pressure along the Mid-Atlantic Coast caused heavy rain and above normal temperatures on Sunday. A front moving into the Northwest caused mountain snow and low elevation rain.
A frontal system pushed into the West with precipitation. Much of the nation was fair and dry. Mild temperatures covered much of the nation.
A front pushing through the northern U.S. caused light precipitation on Wednesday. A system along the gulf Coast produced light rainfall. Amounts were under a 10th of an inch. Temperatures were in the 30s across the northern states and in the 50s and
60s across the south.
Low pressure along the Gulf Coast caused heavy rainfall with amounts over an inch across southern Alabama on Thursday. A front pushing through the Mississippi Valley caused light precipitation.
A weather system in the East caused heavy rainfall with amounts of 1-2 inches on Friday. Much of the remainder of the nation was dry.

Dec. 23-31: A cold front pushing through the northern U.S. brought much colder air south. Temperatures were in the low to mid 20s for highs.
Cold air cover the northern states on Tuesday with high in the 20s and 30s. Light precipitation fell across the west-central states. A storm system in the central Plains caused heavy rain thunderstorms. Some of the storms were severe with several
tornadoes reported.
Heavy rain and storms continued across the South on Friday. Rainfall amounts were over 2 inches in locations. Low pressure lifting through the Great Lakes caused moderate to heavy rain from the upper Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic. Artic cold
air covered the northern U.S. with highs in the teens and 20s.
A storm system in the central Plains caused heavy rain and storms in the south. Some o0f the storms were severe. There were a couple reports of tornadoes in the Tennessee Valley. A front pushing through the southern U.S. caused snow along with
temperatures in the 20s and 30s on Monday.





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