NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

DECEMBER 2015

1-5: Dry weather prevailed for much of the week from southern California to the Plains. During the second half of the week, dry weather accompanied a warming trend throughout the Plains, melting most of the remaining snow cover. Late-week warming trend,
temperatures averaged 10 to 15F below normal in parts of the northern Intermountain West. In addition, early week freezes were noted in parts of California's Central Valley and the Desert Southwest. In contrast, mild weather covered much of the northern
and eastern U.S. The warmest weather, relative to normal, occurred in the northern sections of Minnesota and North Dakota, where weekly temperatures averaged more than 10F above normal.
Very cold conditions lingered across the interior Northwest into early December. From November 26-30, the month ended with five consecutive daily-record lows (13, 13, 9, 8, and 10F, respectively) in Montague, CA. Similarly, in Redmond, OR, there were
five daily record lows in a row (-4, -4, -5, -7, and 0F, respectively) from November 27 - December 1. November ended with five sub-zero readings in a row in locations such as Burns, OR (-9, -15, -15, -15, and -14F), and Big Piney, WY (-19, -22, -16, -16,
and -10F). Big Piney's stretch of sub-zero readings eventually reached 8 days, through December 3. In California's Central Valley, consecutive daily record lows were noted on November 28-29 in Stockton (28 and 25F) and Sacramento (27F both days). In
contrast, warmth spread across the South, where daily record highs included 80F (on November 30) in Montgomery, AL, and 80F (on December 2) in Wilmington, NC. In Florida, record-setting highs for December 2 reached 86F in Melbourne, and 84F in Daytona
Beach. Mild air also arrived in the Northwest, where Bellingham, WA, notched consecutive daily-record highs (60 and 62°F, respectively) on December 2-3. By week's end, warmth returned to the nation's midsection, resulting in daily record highs in
locations such as Dalhart, TX (71F on December 5), and International Falls, MN (45F on December 4).

6-12: High pressure kept conditions quiet across the Great Basin, the Southwest and the southern Rockies. Temperatures rose 10 to 15 degrees above normal over southern California and southwest Arizona. Camarillo, Calif., recorded a midday high of 82
degrees. Los Angeles, Calif., recorded a midday high of 78 degrees.
Meanwhile, a trough of low pressure ushered light rain over the northern Plains and the upper Mississippi Valley. The majority of the Plains and the Deep South experienced warm, dry conditions.
A stationary front continued to generate showers and thunderstorms over southern Florida. Kendall, Fla., reported a midday total of 0.74 of an inch of rain. The Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast avoided wet weather on Tuesday.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Tuesday have ranged from a morning low of 10 degrees at Gunnison, Colo. to a midday high of 82 degrees at Camarillo, Calif.
A wet weather pattern persisted over the Northwest on Wednesday, while thunderstorms fired up over Florida.
A low pressure system moved onshore over British Columbia. A cold frontal boundary associated with this system extended southwestward over Washington, Oregon and northern California. A plume of moisture interacted with this frontal boundary, which aided
in the development of light to moderate rain over the Pacific Northwest, the upper Intermountain West, the northern Great Basin and northern California. Flood warnings were issued for portions of Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana.
Crescent City, Calif., reported a midday total of 1.42 inches of rain. Roseburg, Ore., reported a midday total of 1.17 inches of rain. High wind warnings were also issued for much of the Pacific Northwest and the upper Intermountain West. Livingston,
Mont., recorded wind gusts of 74 mph. Additionally, winter storm warnings were issued across the Sierra Nevada. High pressure influenced dry conditions across the Southwest and the lower Intermountain West.
To the east, a warm front initiated light showers over parts of the northern Plains and the upper Mississippi Valley. Further to the east, a wave of low pressure ushered light showers over the Great Lakes.
Meanwhile, a stationary front lingered over The Bahamas and the Florida Keys. Showers and thunderstorms developed along and near this frontal boundary over southern Florida and the Greater Antilles. The southern Plains and the Deep South stayed clear of
precipitation on Wednesday.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday have ranged from a morning low of 12 degrees at Alamosa, Colo. to a midday high of 84 degrees at Brownsville, Texas.
A wet weather pattern persisted over the Northwest on Wednesday, while thunderstorms fired up over Florida.
A low pressure system moved onshore over British Columbia. A cold frontal boundary associated with this system extended southwestward over Washington, Oregon and northern California. A plume of moisture interacted with this frontal boundary, which aided
in the development of light to moderate rain over the Pacific Northwest, the upper Intermountain West, the northern Great Basin and northern California. Flood warnings were issued for portions of Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana.
Crescent City, Calif., reported a midday total of 1.42 inches of rain. Roseburg, Ore., reported a midday total of 1.17 inches of rain. High wind warnings were also issued for much of the Pacific Northwest and the upper Intermountain West. Livingston,
Mont., recorded wind gusts of 74 mph. Additionally, winter storm warnings were issued across the Sierra Nevada. High pressure influenced dry conditions across the Southwest and the lower Intermountain West.
To the east, a warm front initiated light showers over parts of the northern Plains and the upper Mississippi Valley. Further to the east, a wave of low pressure ushered light showers over the Great Lakes.
Meanwhile, a stationary front lingered over The Bahamas and the Florida Keys. Showers and thunderstorms developed along and near this frontal boundary over southern Florida and the Greater Antilles. The southern Plains and the Deep South stayed clear of
precipitation on Wednesday.
Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Wednesday have ranged from a morning low of 12 degrees at Alamosa, Colo. to a midday high of 84 degrees at Brownsville, Texas.

13-19: Snow blanketed roughly the northwestern half of the Plains. Late week cold snap sent temperatures plunging below 0F as far south as western Nebraska and northeastern
Colorado. Meanwhile, the previous week's heavy precipitation gradually shifted from the nation's mid-section into the South and East. In the Southeast, periodic showers were an impediment to producers still attempting to complete late-season fieldwork.
Record setting warmth continued through midweek across the eastern U.S., helping to propel weekly temperatures more than 15F above normal in parts of the Northeast. Readings averaged at least 10F above normal across large sections of the East and Midwest.
Conversely, cool conditions arrived across the western half of the U.S. Some of the coolest weather, relative to normal, stretched from California and the Desert Southwest to the central Plains. Warmth continued to set records in the Midwest and East
during the first half of the week. Rockford, IL, reported highs of 50F or greater on 6 consecutive days from December 9-14, the longest such December streak in that location since December 1-7, 1916. On December 13, daily record highs soared to 85F in
Tampa, FL; 81F in Hattiesburg, MS; 76F in Nashville, TN; and 71F in Evansville, IN, and Washington, DC. In Illinois, low temperatures on December 13 dipped only to 61F in Springfield and Peoria. Springfield tied a monthly record originally set on
December 2, 1982. Peoria's previous record high minimum temperature for December had been 59F--also on December 2, 1982. Daily record highs were set or tied on 4 consecutive days in locations such as Philadelphia, PA (69, 71, 70, and 69F), and Georgetown,
DE (74, 71, 75, and 70F). For Georgetown, it marked the first time that daily record highs were established on 4 days in a row since December 4-7, 1998. Buffalo, NY, posted a daily record high of 71F on December 14, followed by its first measurable
snowfall (0.1 inch) on December 18. While Eastern warmth prevailed, cold air overspread the West. Camarillo, CA, reported a daily record low (33F) for December 15. On December 16-17,
Douglas, AZ, notched consecutive daily record lows of 15F. Warmth lingered, however, across Florida, where Vero Beach collected consecutive daily record highs (84 and 87F, respectively) on December 16-17.

20-26: A low pressure system moved across the Great Lakes on Tuesday, while a separate system affected the northern Plains. An area of low pressure shifted east northeastward over the eastern Great Lakes. This system ushered a mixture of rain and snow
across the Northeast on Tuesday. Winter weather advisories remained in place for northern Maine. Fort Fairfield, Maine, reported a midday total of 3.0 inches of snow. A cold frontal boundary associated with this system aided in the development of rain
and thunderstorms across the Gulf Coast, the Southeast and the southern Mid-Atlantic. Greenwood, S.C., reported a midday total of 3.08 inches of rain. Panama City, Fla., reported a midday total of 2.17 inches of rain. A separate wave of low pressure
brought light to moderate snow showers to the northern Plains and the upper Mississippi Valley. Winter storm warnings were issued for northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Sheyenne, N.D., reported a midday total of 2.5 inches of snow. A cold
frontal boundary stretched west southwestward over the central Plains, the Intermountain West and the Great Basin. This frontal system initiated snow showers and low elevation rain across the Rockies and the Great Basin.
Meanwhile, a Pacific cold front approached the West Coast. Light to moderate rain moved onshore across portions of Washington, Oregon and California. Snow showers also affected the Cascades and parts of the Sierra Nevada. Winter storm warnings were
issued for the central Sierra Nevada and the Cascades on Tuesday. Alpine Meadows, Calif., reported 34.0 inches of snow in the past 24 hours. Squaw Valley, Calif., reported 36.0 inches of snow in the past 24 hours. Temperatures in the Lower 48 states
Tuesday have ranged from a morning low of 8 degrees at Greeley, Colo. to a midday high of 84 degrees at Plant City, Fla.

27-31: A strong low pressure system brought major impacts to the eastern half of the country on Monday, while scattered snow showers developed over the Intermountain west.
A blast of cold air settled in across the north central portion of the country. Big Piney, Wyo., recorded a morning low of -22 degrees. Meanwhile, a weak cold front brought light to moderate snow showers to the Intermountain West, the Great Basin and the
Sierra Nevada. Winter weather advisories were issued for Nevada and northwest Montana. Light rain also moved onshore over parts of California, Oregon and Washington. Cool and dry conditions prevailed across the Desert Southwest on Monday. Thermal, Calif.,
recorded a morning low of 21 degrees.
An area of low pressure moved across the northern Mid-Atlantic. This system ushered a mixture of rain, freezing rain and snow over the northern Mid-Atlantic, New England and the upper Midwest. Winter storm warnings were issued for northern New England.
Winter weather advisories and freezing rain advisories were issued across Upstate New York and southern New England. Gorham, Maine, reported a midday total of 6.0 inches of snow. Haverhill, Mass., reported a midday total of 2.3 inches of snow. A
stationary front extended south southwestward over the interior Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. Showers and thunderstorms fired up along and near this frontal boundary. Flood warnings were issued for much of the Deep South. Rutherfordton, N.C., reported
a midday total of 1.51 inches of rain. Greenwood, S.C., reported a midday total of 1.20 inches of rain.
Meanwhile, a wave of low pressure brought snow showers to the upper Mississippi Valley and the northern Plains. Winter storm warnings were issued in southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Winter weather advisories were also issued for south central
Montana. Further to the west, a Pacific low pressure system ushered light to moderate precipitation over southwest Washington and northwest Oregon. Winter weather advisories were issued across the northwestern corner of Oregon. Most of the Southwest
stayed clear of precipitation, with the exception to scattered snow showers over the southern Rockies.

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