• National Weather Summary May 2019

    From jgmunley55@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jun 25 17:15:11 2019
    NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

    MAY 2019

    1-4: A dramatic temperature gradient featured very cool conditions across the North and unusual warmth in the South. Weekly temperatures averaged more than 10°F below normal across parts of the northern Plains but were as much as 10°F above normal
    from the southern Appalachians into the Mid-Atlantic States. The Southeastern warmth, accompanied by occasional showers. Several waves of rain affected the nation’s mid-section, starting on April 29. On that date, Moline, IL, received a daily-record
    rainfall of 2.52 inches. From April 27 – May 3, Moline’s rainfall totaled 4.87 inches. Meanwhile, late season snow developed across the North. On April 30 – May 1, snowfall totaled 8.4 inches in East Rapid City, SD, and 4.6 inches in Riverton,
    WY. Similarly, Cheyenne, WY, netted 7.7 inches of snow from April 29 – May 1. In Michigan, Marquette received a daily-record snowfall of 5.4 inches on May 1. By May 2, a return of heavy rain across portions of the Plains and Midwest resulted in
    daily-record totals in locations such as Longview, TX (5.05 inches), and Cape Girardeau, MO (2.22 inches). In Texas, record-setting rainfall totals for May 3 reached 4.77 inches in Austin and 2.81 inches in College Station. For Austin, it was the
    wettest day in May since May 26, 2016, when 8.79 inches fell. Heavy rain swept into the Southeast on May 4, when daily-record totals included 2.40 inches in Augusta, GA, and 1.94 inches in Tuscaloosa, AL. At the same time, yet another round of snow
    across the North produced a 3.3-inch accumulation on May 4-5 in Havre, MT.

    5-11: Warm, dry weather in northern California and the Northwest favored a rapid fieldwork pace, following earlier planting delays. The Northwestern warmth, which boosted temperatures at least 10°F above normal in some locations, also promoted the
    emergence and development of spring-sown small grains. Elsewhere, warmth—with weekly temperatures averaging more than 5°F above normal—covered the middle and southern Atlantic States, while persistently chilly conditions across the Plains and upper
    Midwest held temperatures 5 to 10°F below normal. Freezes affected roughly the northwestern half of the Plains and the nation’s northern tier from Montana to Maine.
    Warmth in the Southeast resulted in several daily-record highs. For example, daily-record highs topped the 90-degree mark in Florida locations such as Sarasota-Bradenton (94°F on May 8) and Miami (91°F on May 5). Meanwhile, impressive warmth
    engulfed the Pacific Northwest during the second half of the week. Consecutive daily-record highs were established on May 9-10 in Salem, OR (86 and 87°F), and Hoquiam, WA (83°F both days). Elsewhere on the 10th, daily-record highs soared to 89°F in
    Portland, OR, and 87°F in Olympia, WA. In contrast, chilly air settled across the Plains and Midwest. Record-setting lows for May 7 plunged to 20°F in Hibbing, MN, and 24°F in Aberdeen, SD. In Montana, lows on May 9 dipped to 26°F in Havre and
    Miles City, resulting in daily records in both locations. The following day, record-setting lows for May 10 fell to 24°F in Sidney, NE, and 30°F in Hill City, KS.

    12-18: Warmth, accompanied by several days of mostly dry weather, also extended into the Southeast. Near- or above-normal temperatures covered much of the country, with readings averaging at least 5°F above normal in many locations from the northern
    Rockies to the central Plains. Cooler-than normal conditions prevailed, however, in much of California and from portions of the Great Lakes region into the Northeast.
    The early-week Northeastern cool spell extended to the Midwest, where maximum temperatures on May 12 did not top the 50-degree mark in Indianapolis, IN (49°F), and Springfield, IL (50°F). In contrast, very hot weather persisted across southern Florida,
    where Miami collected consecutive daily-record highs (94 and 95°F, respectively) on May13.
    Key West, FL, set a monthly record with a high of 94°F on May 14, edging a mark originally set with a reading of 93°F on May 31, 1881. Farther west, fleeting warmth in advance of a cold front pushed temperatures to 90°F or higher on May 16 across the
    central Plains and western Corn Belt. Daily record highs for the 16th rose to 95°F in Omaha, NE, and 93°F in Concordia, KS, and Saint Joseph, MO. Record setting warmth expanded into the Southeast by May 17, when highs soared to 95°F in Florence, SC,
    and 93°F in Tuscaloosa, AL. Wilmington, NC, posted a daily-record high of 94°F on May 18. On the same date but on the opposite side of the country, Lancaster, CA, logged a daily-record low of 38°F. By the morning of May 19, daily-record lows on the
    High Plains dipped to 32°F in Pueblo, CO, and 34°F in Dalhart, TX.

    19-25: hot, mostly dry weather in the Southeast reduced topsoil moisture for spring-sown crops but promoted planting and hastened winter wheat maturation. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10°F above normal in a broad area centered on the
    southern Appalachians. Chilly conditions covered large sections of the western and central U.S., with temperatures averaging 10 to 15°F below normal from the Southwest to the High Plains. Late-season frosts continued to plague portions of the High
    Plains, including eastern Colorado and western Nebraska, as well as scattered locations across the nation’s northern tier. The week began in the midst of a persistent cool spell across the western and central U.S. On May 19, daily-record lows were
    established in Pueblo, CO (32°F), and Dalhart, TX (34°F). Later, on May 21-22, Denver, CO, posted consecutive daily-record lows of 31 and 30°F, respectively. Across the West, daily-record lows for May 21 fell to 31°F in Tooele, UT; 34°F in Bishop,
    CA; and 35°F in Douglas, AZ. Farther north and east, record-setting lows for May 22 included 29°F in Casper, WY, and 34°F in Garden City, KS. Casper notched another daily-record low on May 23, dipping to 28°F. In contrast, building heat in the
    Southeast led to multiple daily-record highs. For example, Nashville, TN, tallied a trio of daily-record highs (91, 93, and 93°F) from May 23-25. The week ended (on May 24-25) with consecutive daily-record highs in Georgia locations such as Macon (97
    and 99°F) and Augusta (98 and 100°F)—and both locations tied monthly records on the latter date. Previously, Macon had reached 99°F on May 28, 1967, and earlier dates, while Augusta had attained 100°F on May 26, 1926. Elsewhere in Georgia, a
    monthly record (from May 28, 1967) was also tied in Alma, with a high of 100°F. With a high of 100°F on the May 25, Savannah, GA, tied a record—originally set in 1953— for its earliest occurrence of triple-digit heat.

    26-31: Short-term drought continued to develop and intensify in parts of the Southeast. In the southern Atlantic States, record-setting heat aggravated the effects of dry conditions. Dry weather also prevailed across the northernmost Plains,
    accompanied by a late-week warming trend. Warmth developed in the Northwest, but chilly weather continued from California to the central and southern Rockies. Many areas of the West experienced scattered to widespread showers—and even some high-
    elevation snow. Weekly temperatures averaged 5 to 10°F below normal across much of the Southwest, but were at least 10°F above normal in parts of the Southeast and Pacific Northwest. Relentless early-season heat persisted in the Southeast, pushing
    temperatures to 100°F or higher in many locations. Readings soared to 102°F in locations such as Savannah, GA (on May 26), and Gainesville, FL (on May 27), setting monthly records. Previously,
    Savannah’s highest May temperature had been 101°F on May 30, 1898, and May 31, 1945. Gainesville had previously attained 101°F on May 31, 1945. Other communities reporting triple-digit, monthly record highs included Augusta, GA; Charleston, SC; and
    Wilmington, NC—all of which reached 101°F on May 29. Charleston’s previous earliest triple-digit reading had occurred on June 2, 1985. Wilmington had also never before attained a triple digit reading in May. From May 26-30, Florence, SC, achieved
    five consecutive triple-digit readings, including a monthly record-tying high of 102°F on the 28th. Florence had also registered highs of 102°F on May 26 and 31, 1953. Not surprisingly, monthly temperature records from May 1953 were broken in
    locations such as Saint Simons Island, GA (79.9°F); Charleston, SC (78.1°F); and Wilmington, NC (76.3°F). Those values ranged from 5 to 6°F above normal. (Wilmington also completed its third-driest May, with a monthly total of 0.63 inch—just 14
    percent of normal.) In contrast, chilly weather in California led to daily-record lows on May 27 in Lancaster (41°F) and Burbank (46°F). Meanwhile, Caribou, ME, posted a daily-record low of 31°F on May 28. After mid-week, warmth spread eastward
    from the Northwest. By May 30, Grand Forks, ND, collected a daily-record high of 93°F.

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