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Incredible cold in AZ


beavis1729

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Not sure if it's an error...but it looks like Grand Canyon hit -30F this morning. :o :o

The all-time record for AZ is -40F in Hawley Lake on 1/7/1971.

MAX/MIN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION TABLE FOR ARIZONA...UPDATED

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX, AZ

913 AM MST FRI DEC 31 2010

ARIZONA AUTOMATED STATION (ASOS/AWOS) OBSERVATIONS

VALUES REPRESENT HIGHS YESTERDAY...LOWS SINCE 7:00 PM YESTERDAY

AND 24-HOUR PRECIPITATION ENDING AT 5:00 AM MST.

.BR PSR 1231 MS DH00/TAIRZX/DH08/DVH13/TAVRZN

.B1 /DH05/PPDRZZ/SFDRZZ/SDIRZZ

:

: MAX MIN 24-HR SNOW SNOW

: ID LOCATION ELEV TEMP TEMP PCPN FALL DEPTH

DUG :BISBEE-DOUGLAS AIRPORT 4100 : 52 / 22 / 0.02 / /

DMA :DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB 2675 : 48 / 28 / 0.21 / /

FLG :FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT 7003 : 28 / 1 / 0.20 / /

GCN :GRAND CANYON AIRPORT 6606 : 28 / -30 / 0.01 / /

IGM :KINGMAN AIRPORT 3446 : 40 / 20 / 0.00 / /

OLS :NOGALES INTL AIRPORT 3930 : 43 / 27 / 0.15 / /

PGA :PAGE AIRPORT 4310 : 38 / 19 / 0.00 / /

DVT :PHOENIX DEER VALLEY 1476 : 50 / 31 / 0.00 / /

PHX :PHOENIX SKY HARBOR 1107 : 53 / 32 / 0.00 / /

PRC :PRESCOTT AIRPORT 5052 : 36 / 8 / 0.03 / /

RYN :RYAN AIRFIELD 2412 : 50 / 28 / 0.00 / /

SAD :SAFFORD AIRPORT 3170 : 48 / 21 / 0.19 / /

SJN :SAINT JOHNS AIRPORT 5733 : 38 / 14 / 0.05 / /

SDL :SCOTTSDALE AIRPORT 1510 : 51 / 30 / 0.00 / /

SEZ :SEDONA AIRPORT 4830 : 52 / 19 / 0.02 / /

FHU :SIERRA VISTA AIRPORT 4654 : M / M / 0.19 / /

TUS :TUCSON INTL AIRPORT 2550 : 50 / 26 / 0.15 / /

RQE :WINDOW ROCK AIRPORT 6739 : 29 / -2 / 0.11 / /

INW :WINSLOW AIRPORT 4886 : 36 / 11 / 0.00 / /

NYL :YUMA AIRPORT 213 : 57 / 33 / 0.00 / /

.END

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They're still reporting -15 F at 9am, so if something is wrong with the METAR it's still causing a problem.

The nearby Flagstaff sounding indicated -20C at 700mb (and keep in mind the rim of the GC is above 850 mb), and the overnight was dry, clear and calm allowing for good radiational cooling. I bet the -30 F reading is an error, but I would bet that they got below zero... which is nonetheless impressive for AZ!

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TOP: 2pm today

BOTTOM: 1am this morning

KGCN 311854Z COR 26009KT 240V310 10SM SCT045 M11/M17 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP174 T11061172

KGCN 311754Z 29007KT 250V320 10SM CLR M11/M18 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP159 T11111183 11111 21344 53020

KGCN 311654Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M18/M19 A2976 RMK AO2 SLP185 T11781189

KGCN 311554Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M26/M27 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP177 T12611267

KGCN 311454Z 07005KT 10SM CLR M29/M32 A2971 RMK AO2 SLP177 T12941317 53018

KGCN 311414Z 06005KT 10SM CLR M29/M31 A2970 RMK AO2

KGCN 311405Z 05005KT 1 3/4SM HZ CLR M29/M32 A2969 RMK AO2

KGCN 311354Z AUTO 06005KT 10SM CLR M31/M33 A2969 RMK AO2 SLP168 T13061328

KGCN 311254Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M34/ A2966 RMK AO2 SLP170 T1344

KGCN 311154Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M31/M34 A2965 RMK AO2 SLP150 60000 70001 T13111339 11167 21317 51011

KGCN 311054Z AUTO 07003KT 10SM CLR M29/M32 A2964 RMK AO2 SLP138 T12941317

KGCN 310954Z AUTO 05005KT 10SM FEW060 M26/M28 A2963 RMK AO2 SLP124 T12561283

KGCN 310854Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR M25/M27 A2961 RMK AO2 SLP113 60000 T12501267 51009

KGCN 310754Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M24/M26 A2959 RMK AO2 SLP101 T12391261

KGCN 310654Z AUTO 22007KT 10SM FEW039 M23/M24 A2959 RMK AO2 SNE04 SLP097 P0000 T12331244 410221239

KGCN 310554Z AUTO 23003KT 9SM -SN SCT026 BKN038 BKN045 M18/M21 A2958 RMK AO2 SNB04 SLP075 P0000 60000 T11781206 11111 21228 51016

Looks legit via METAR... especially with the COR in the last report indicating it got edited by a person... temp at the time was 13F. Looks like the low did verify at -30F!

The missing dewpoint during the -30F ob could be a little concerning as far as the lowest it got, but sometimes you just don't report the dewpoint when it's that low :P

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TOP: 2pm today

BOTTOM: 1am this morning

KGCN 311854Z COR 26009KT 240V310 10SM SCT045 M11/M17 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP174 T11061172

KGCN 311754Z 29007KT 250V320 10SM CLR M11/M18 A2979 RMK AO2 SLP159 T11111183 11111 21344 53020

KGCN 311654Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M18/M19 A2976 RMK AO2 SLP185 T11781189

KGCN 311554Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M26/M27 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP177 T12611267

KGCN 311454Z 07005KT 10SM CLR M29/M32 A2971 RMK AO2 SLP177 T12941317 53018

KGCN 311414Z 06005KT 10SM CLR M29/M31 A2970 RMK AO2

KGCN 311405Z 05005KT 1 3/4SM HZ CLR M29/M32 A2969 RMK AO2

KGCN 311354Z AUTO 06005KT 10SM CLR M31/M33 A2969 RMK AO2 SLP168 T13061328

KGCN 311254Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M34/ A2966 RMK AO2 SLP170 T1344

KGCN 311154Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M31/M34 A2965 RMK AO2 SLP150 60000 70001 T13111339 11167 21317 51011

KGCN 311054Z AUTO 07003KT 10SM CLR M29/M32 A2964 RMK AO2 SLP138 T12941317

KGCN 310954Z AUTO 05005KT 10SM FEW060 M26/M28 A2963 RMK AO2 SLP124 T12561283

KGCN 310854Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR M25/M27 A2961 RMK AO2 SLP113 60000 T12501267 51009

KGCN 310754Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M24/M26 A2959 RMK AO2 SLP101 T12391261

KGCN 310654Z AUTO 22007KT 10SM FEW039 M23/M24 A2959 RMK AO2 SNE04 SLP097 P0000 T12331244 410221239

KGCN 310554Z AUTO 23003KT 9SM -SN SCT026 BKN038 BKN045 M18/M21 A2958 RMK AO2 SNB04 SLP075 P0000 60000 T11781206 11111 21228 51016

Looks legit via METAR... especially with the COR in the last report indicating it got edited by a person... temp at the time was 13F. Looks like the low did verify at -30F!

The missing dewpoint during the -30F ob could be a little concerning as far as the lowest it got, but sometimes you just don't report the dewpoint when it's that low :P

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I calculate -29.2F from the reported low of -34C so it looks legit as far as the values are concerned. Currently they are reporting -11C which is about 15F. The 28 for a max was probably from yesterday since today's max will not be reported until 00Z unless the max was at midnight however the 1 AM ob doesn't support a -2C max at midnight.. Incidentally, GCN and FLG ht below zero virtually every winter (Flag is close to 7000 ft elevation and the South Rim near 8000 ft) though -30 is nippy even for them. Gotta love those sheltered highland locations.

Steve

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The missing dewpoint during the -30F ob could be a little concerning as far as the lowest it got, but sometimes you just don't report the dewpoint when it's that low :P

I believe ASOS is programmed to stop reporting dewpoint when the temperature drops to -34 C or below.

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NWS is predicting a low of -21F tonight for Grand Canyon:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -21. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm.

New Year's Day: Sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as -21. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -5. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. Wind chill values as low as -5. Calm wind becoming southwest between 4 and 7 mph.

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I calculate -29.2F from the reported low of -34C so it looks legit as far as the values are concerned. Currently they are reporting -11C which is about 15F. The 28 for a max was probably from yesterday since today's max will not be reported until 00Z unless the max was at midnight however the 1 AM ob doesn't support a -2C max at midnight.. Incidentally, GCN and FLG ht below zero virtually every winter (Flag is close to 7000 ft elevation and the South Rim near 8000 ft) though -30 is nippy even for them. Gotta love those sheltered highland locations.

Steve

It's technically -34.4C, which would put it at -30F :thumbsup:

Thanks for the ASOS info, Met Tech. I thought that that was the case.

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Not sure if people realize it, but this was a top-tier cold wave for AZ. -30 is about as cold as the Grand Canyon ever gets. Several locations set their all-time record lows.

It was definitely significant though in Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties and Tucson it was merely so and nowhere near top tier or record breaking except for some daily records. Heaven help us if we ever broke Tucson's all time (+6F) or Cochise County's (-10F) or Santa Cruz County's (-6F)-those BTW are valley readings and not mountain readings. Even in recent years, Cochise County has seen lows below 10F with some -2F readings near the San Pedro River. Winter weather in the Desert and highland grasslands in AZ is as hard on illegals as the Summer heat as these people coming from southern Mexico or Guatemala or elsewhere where 56F is cold have no means of coping with winterlike temperatures here.

Steve

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It was definitely significant though in Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties and Tucson it was merely so and nowhere near top tier or record breaking except for some daily records. Heaven help us if we ever broke Tucson's all time (+6F) or Cochise County's (-10F) or Santa Cruz County's (-6F)-those BTW are valley readings and not mountain readings. Even in recent years, Cochise County has seen lows below 10F with some -2F readings near the San Pedro River. Winter weather in the Desert and highland grasslands in AZ is as hard on illegals as the Summer heat as these people coming from southern Mexico or Guatemala or elsewhere where 56F is cold have no means of coping with winterlike temperatures here.

Steve

Yeah, it wasn't top tier for the Tucson area...but considering how this cold wave broke a TON of records, including some all-time ones, and came pretty close to the all-time cold temperature record for the state, I think it has to be considered top-tier for AZ.

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Yeah, it wasn't top tier for the Tucson area...but considering how this cold wave broke a TON of records, including some all-time ones, and came pretty close to the all-time cold temperature record for the state, I think it has to be considered top-tier for AZ.

Of course we aren't done with Winter yet-this is actually the second cold wave in AZ this season the first occurred in late November with almost the same numbers in Cochise County. The ski resort on Mt. Lemmon (southernmost in the lower 48) is open with 3 ft at the base and 5 ft at the top of the runs.

Steve

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