Sunday, May 05, 2013

For The Record... Historic May Cold and Snow


I think it's safe to say this will go down as one of the top weather events of 2013.  There were dozens and maybe even close to a hundred records broken all across the state (I haven't had time to count it all).

We broke records over the past 3 days in several different categories such as:


  • latest accumulated snow
  • latest snow flakes ever seen
  • daily record lows
  • all time coldest May temperatures
  • coldest daytime highs
  • coldest daily average temperatures
The National Weather Service has done a fantastic job of keeping up with it all.  The following contains most of the records, but more will be added I'm sure.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
420 AM CDT SUN MAY 5 2013

...HISTORIC COLD AND SNOWFALL IN ARKANSAS IN MAY...

.SNOWFALL...

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WRITTEN WEATHER HISTORY BEGAN IN ARKANSAS
/1819/...SNOW HAS FALLEN IN THE MONTH OF MAY. THIS SNOW HAS SET
RECORDS FOR THE LATEST SNOWFALL AND LATEST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL IN
THE STATE.

THE PREVIOUS LATEST SNOWFALL EVER RECORDED WAS ON APRIL 30TH 1903...AT
HARRISON...GRAVETTE...AND FAYETTEVILLE. THIS WAS NOT MEASURABLE.

THE PREVIOUS LATEST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL WAS 0.2 INCHES AT CORNING ON
APRIL 24 1910.

BELOW IS A LIST OF SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS FROM NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE COOPERATIVE OBSERVER STATIONS...AS WELL AS COCORAHS
STATIONS. THESE STATIONS ARE IN BOTH THE NWS LITTLE ROCK AND TULSA
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.

COOPERATIVE OBSERVER STATIONS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
STATION                       MAY 3RD          MAY 4TH     TOTAL
-------------------------------------------------------------------
WINSLOW 7NE                     0.4              1.5        1.9
OMAHA                           0.5              1.2        1.7
FAYETTEVILLE EXP STATION        1.5                         1.5
COMPTON                         1.0                         1.0
FAYETTEVILLE DRAKE FIELD        0.5                         0.5
KINGSTON 2S                     0.2              0.2        0.4
HARRISON                        0.1             TRACE       0.1
GILBERT                                         TRACE      TRACE
JASPER                         TRACE                       TRACE
MOUNT IDA                      TRACE                       TRACE
MOUNTAIN VIEW                                   TRACE      TRACE
PARTHENON                      TRACE
RATCLIFF                       TRACE                       TRACE

COCORAHS STATIONS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
STATION                       MAY 3RD          MAY 4TH     TOTAL
-------------------------------------------------------------------
DECATUR 2.6 ESE                 5.0                         5.0
BELLA VISTA 1.5 NNE             1.5                         1.5
PEA RIDGE 0.2 WSW               1.5                         1.5
HARRISON 5.4 SW                                  1.0        1.0
ROGERS 3.8 SW                   1.0                         1.0
ROGERS 2.1 SE                   0.8                         0.8
SILOAM SPRINGS 1.8 N            0.7                         0.7
JASPER 2.7 WNW                                   0.3        0.3
HARRISON 5.4 SW                 0.2                         0.2

OTHER STATIONS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION                      MAY 3RD          MAY 4TH     TOTAL
-------------------------------------------------------------------
QUEEN WILHELMINA STATE PARK     0.8                         0.8
CLINTON AIRPORT                TRACE                       TRACE

.COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS...

DAILY RECORD COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURES SET OR TIED ARE LISTED BELOW.

                    RECORD COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURES
                       MAY 3RD           MAY 4TH
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
STATION              NEW  PREVIOUS    NEW  PREVIOUS       RECORDS SINCE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BATESVILLE AIRPORT   45  57 IN 2009    48  64 IN 2009          1937
BEEDEVILLE 4NE                         50  61 IN 1978          1964
BOONEVILLE                             55  56 IN 1978          1906
CABOT 4SW                              49  61 IN 2009...1978   1965
CALICO ROCK 2WSW                       40  54 IN 1935          1915
CLARKSVILLE WATER PLANT                50  54 IN 1978          1871
CONWAY                                 48  56 IN 2002          1884
DES ARC                                47  52 IN 1907          1903
FLIPPIN              39  52 IN 1978    43  51 IN 1961          1951
GILBERT                                42  53 IN 1961          1924
HARDY                                  40  51 IN 1907          1897
HARRISON             38  48 IN 1978    44  50 IN 1978          1891
HOT SPRINGS AIRPORT  57  57 IN 2002    51  61 IN 1978          1948
JACKSONVILLE         48  56 IN 1978    51  58 IN 1978          1956
LEAD HILL                              37  52 IN 2009...1935   1927
LITTLE ROCK          52  57 IN 2002    53  53 IN 1935          1879
MALVERN                                57  60 IN 1978          1882
MAMMOTH SPRING                         40  51 IN 1907          1904
MENA                                   55  55 IN 1935          1887
MONTICELLO           56  60 IN 1994                            1876
MORRILTON                              49  57 IN 2002          1919
MOUNTAIN HOME 1NNW                     38  53 IN 1995          1902
MOUNTAIN VIEW                          41  50 IN 1978          1924
NEWPORT                                42  56 IN 1907          1884
NORTH LITTLE ROCK    48  55 IN 1978    49  58 IN 1978          1975
PINE BLUFF           53  60 IN 2002                            1883
RUSSELLVILLE         52  59 IN 2002    51  58 IN 1978          1882
STAR CITY/CANE CREEK                   51  62 IN 1978          1963
STUTTGART AIRPORT    52  54 IN 2004    55  61 IN 1944          1942


THERE WERE MANY STATIONS WHICH SET OR TIED THE ALL-TIME RECORD COLDEST
HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. AT HARDY...A RECORD THAT HAD STOOD
SINCE 1899 WAS SHATTERED BY 10 DEGREES.

                      ALL-TIME RECORD COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR MAY
STATION             NEW RECORD           PREVIOUS RECORD      RECORDS SINCE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEAD HILL          37 05/04/2013          44 05/03/2011              1927
HARRISON           38 05/03/2013          45 05/02/2011              1891
MOUNTAIN HOME 1NNW 38 05/04/2013          49 05/03/2011              1902
FLIPPIN            39 05/03/2013          51 05/04/1961              1951
CALICO ROCK 2WSW   40 05/04/2013          48 05/03/2011              1915
EVENING SHADE 1NNE 40 05/04/2013          48 05/03/2011              1923
HARDY              40 05/04/2013          50 05/24/1899              1897
MAMMOTH SPRING     40 05/04/2013          49 05/03/2011              1904
MOUNTAIN VIEW      41 05/04/2013          48 05/03/2011              1924
BATESVILLE L/D     42 05/04/2013          49 05/03/2011              1951
GILBERT            42 05/04/2013          47 05/03/2011              1924
NEWPORT            42 05/04/2013          53 05/02/1994              1884
BATESVILLE AIRPORT 45 05/03/2013          45 05/02/2011              1937
CLARKSVILLE 6NE    47 05/04/2013          49 05/03/2011              1986
DES ARC            47 05/04/2013          52 05/03/2011...05/03/1994 1903
CONWAY             48 05/04/2013          49 05/02/2011              1884
JACKSONVILLE       48 05/03/2013          51 05/02/2011              1956
NORTH LITTLE ROCK  48 05/03/2013          50 05/02/2011...05/02/1994 1975
CABOT 4SW          49 05/04/2013          57 05/03/2002...05/02/1990 1965
KEO                49 05/04/2013          50 05/03/2011              1948
MORRILTON          49 05/04/2013          49 05/03/1994              1919
BEEDEVILLE 4NE     50 05/03/2013          50 05/02/1994              1964
CLARKSVILLE WATER  50 05/04/2013          50 05/03/2011...05/03/1994 1871
ROHWER 2NNE        50 05/04/2013          55 05/04/1978              1959
STAR CITY          51 05/04/2013          62 05/10/2010              1963
LITTLE ROCK        52 05/03/2013          52 05/02/1994              1879
PINE BLUFF         52 05/03/2013          56 05/02/2011...05/04/1978 1883
RUSSELLVILLE       52 05/03/2013          53 05/02/2011              1882
STUTTGART AIRPORT  52 05/03/2013          52 05/02/1994              1942

.RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES...

DAILY RECORD LOWS WERE SET AT MANY LOCATIONS...AND SOME OF THESE
TEMPERATURES WERE THE COLDEST EVER RECORDED IN THE MONTH OF MAY.

                        RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES
                       MAY 3RD           MAY 4TH
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
STATION              NEW  PREVIOUS     NEW  PREVIOUS      RECORDS SINCE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BEEDEVILLE 4NE                          38 38 IN 1976          1964
BOONEVILLE                              35 38 IN 1954          1906
CABOT 4SW                               35 36 IN 1976          1965
DES ARC               41  41 IN 2005    37 37 IN 1954          1903
FORDYCE                                 35 37 IN 1954          1911
HARDY                                   33 36 IN 2005          1897
HOT SPRINGS AIRPORT   39  41 IN 2005    36 40 IN 1976          1948
JACKSONVILLE          38  41 IN 2004    36 40 IN 1976          1956
LITTLE ROCK           38  41 IN 1929    38 40 IN 1971          1879
MALVERN                                 34 35 IN 1976          1882
MENA                  34  36 IN 2011    34 35 IN 1954          1887
MONTICELLO            40  41 IN 1960    38 40 IN 1971          1876
MOUNTAIN HOME 1NNW                      35 35 IN 2005          1902
MURFREESBORO 1W                         34 38 IN 2011          1970
NEWPORT               39  41 IN 1976    37 37 IN 1954          1884
NORTH LITTLE ROCK     39  43 IN 2005    40 46 IN 1976          1975
PINE BLUFF            40  41 IN 1918    35 41 IN 1954          1883
STAR CITY                               37 37 IN 1976          1963
STUTTGART AIRPORT     41  43 IN 2005    37 45 IN 1945          1942

AS OF 4 AM THIS MORNING...DAILY RECORD LOWS HAVE ALSO BEEN BROKEN FOR
MAY 5TH AT NORTH LITTLE ROCK...LITTLE ROCK...JACKSONVILLE...HOT SPRINGS
AIRPORT...PINE BLUFF...AND THE STUTTGART AIRPORT.

                      ALL-TIME RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES FOR MAY
STATION             NEW RECORD               PREVIOUS RECORD  RECORDS SINCE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEOLA               32 05/04/2013              34 05/04/2011        1963
SPARKMAN            32 05/04/2013              35 05/16/2002        1963
MURFREESBORO 1W     34 05/04/2013              35 05/01/2005        1970
CABOT 4SW           35 05/04/2013              36 05/04/1976        1965
FORDYCE             35 05/04/2013              37 05/02/1994        1911
PINE BLUFF          35 05/04/2013              36 05/02/1909        1883
HOT SPRINGS AIRPORT 36 05/04/2013              39 05/13/1997        1948
JACKSONVILLE        36 05/04/2013              39 05/07/1992        1956
DES ARC             37 05/04/2013              37 05/04/1954        1903
STAR CITY           37 05/04/2013              37 05/04/1976        1963
KEO                 38 05/04/2013              38 05/04/1954        1948
LITTLE ROCK         38 05/04/2013...05/03/2013 39 05/01/1903        1879
NORTH LITTLE ROCK   39 05/03/2013              40 05/02/1994        1975
ROHWER 2NNE         39 05/04/2013              39 05/03/1978        1959

AT LITTLE ROCK...IT WAS THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE IN THE MONTH OF MAY
SINCE 1903...AND AT PINE BLUFF...IT WAS THE COLDEST MAY TEMPERATURE
SINCE 1909.

IT WAS THE LATEST FREEZE ON RECORD FOR SPARKMAN AND LEOLA...AND THE FIRST
MAY FREEZE EVER RECORDED AT BOTH LOCATIONS.

.DAILY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES...

DAILY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN RECORD-SETTING AS WELL. AT SEVERAL
LOCATIONS...THE LOWEST ALL-TIME DAILY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH
OF MAY HAS BEEN RECORDED.

STATION                NEW RECORD/DATE         PREVIOUS RECORD/DATE
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LITTLE ROCK        45.0 DEGREES 05/03/2013   46.5 DEGREES 05/02/1994
NORTH LITTLE ROCK  43.5 DEGREES 05/03/2013   45.0 DEGREES 05/02/1994
PINE BLUFF         46.5 DEGREES 05/04/2013   49.5 DEGREES 05/01/1909
                   46.5 DEGREES 05/03/2013
HARRISON           35.0 DEGREES 05/03/2013   41.0 DEGREES 05/01/1909

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_____________________________________________________________________

3 comments:

jimmylee42 said...

Thanks Todd and NWS from all the weather history geeks. Its hard for me to ignore the previous years of 1917,1976,1983,1963 popping up in the records for cold days and months of May. All those years had incredible cold or snows recorded,as the winter of 1917-18.

jimmylee42 said...

Todd according to the NWS Fairbanks had its 215th day in a row without reaching 50 degrees. That goes back to October 4th and is the 4th longest time period since records have been kept. If they do not reach 50 today it will be the 3rd longest on record. Looks like "break up" is coming late this year for the interior of Alaska.

Anonymous said...

Global "warming"

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