Data Date: April

Jogging

Spring 2013 Brings Below Normal Temperatures and Dry Conditions to Delaware

Posted on | by Dan Leathers
Posted on Tue 06/25/13

Below normal temperatures and below normal rainfall characterized Delaware’s Climate during spring 2013.

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Figure 1. Delaware statewide Spring temperature (°F) 1895-2013.
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Figure 2. Delaware statewide Spring precipitation (inches) 1895-2013.

Spring Temperatures

Preliminary data indicates that Delaware experienced its first cooler than normal spring since 2007 this year. The Statewide mean spring temperature of 53.3° F was 0.3° F below the 1981-2010 normal of 53.6°F. This spring’s cooler than normal conditions followed last year’s record warmest spring when temperatures averaged nearly 5° F warmer (Figure 1).

Spring Precipitation

Cool temperatures were accompanied by dry conditions across the state during the spring season. The statewide mean precipitation of 9.57” was 2.41” below the 1981-2010 normal of 11.98”, and was the 4th year in a row with below normal spring precipitation (Figure 2). Although below normal, spring 2013 precipitation was more than 5” greater than that of 2012, which holds the distinction of being the driest spring on record.

Statewide Spatial Averages

Data from the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) show that a majority of stations across Delaware experienced below average temperatures during the spring season with the largest anomalies found along the Atlantic coast in Sussex County (nearly 5° F below normal). Pockets of above normal temperature anomalies were found in northern Sussex and southern Kent Counties and in parts of Chester County, PA. (Figure 3).

All stations in the DEOS network recorded below normal precipitation values during spring 2013, except for Selbyville, DE. The largest precipitation deficits were generally found across northern New Castle County, DE and Chester County, PA (Figure 4).

Spring 2013 average temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data

Figure 3. Spring 2013 average temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data.
Delaware Spring 2013 average precipitation departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data

Figure 4. Spring 2013 precipitation departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data
 
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Flowers

Delaware Climate Near “Normal” in April 2013

Posted on | by Dan Leathers

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Figure 1. Delaware statewide April temperature (°F) 1895-2013.

 
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Figure 2. Delaware statewide April precipitation (inches) 1895-2013.

 

April Temperatures

Preliminary data indicates that the statewide average temperature in April was 54.5 °F. This is 0.9 °F above the 1981-2010 normal of 53.6 °F (Figure 1). The slightly warmer than normal conditions in April followed a very cold March that saw temperatures nearly 4 °F below normal.

April Precipitation

Delaware’s statewide precipitation for April 2013 averaged 3.57”, which is 0.15” below the 1981-2010 mean (Figure 2). Although slightly below normal, April 2013 saw 2.71” more precipitation across the First State than April 2012 in which less than one-inch of precipitation fell.

Statewide Spatial Averages

Data from the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) shows that the mean April station temperatures across Delaware varied significantly with primarily above normal readings across northern Sussex and southern Kent Counties and across much of northern Delaware and Chester County, PA. Southern New Castle, northern Kent and coastal Sussex Counties all experienced below normal temperatures during April (Figure 3).

Mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures had a spatial pattern that was broadly similar to the mean temperatures across the state (Figures 4 and 5).

The majority of stations across the state recorded slightly below normal precipitation, except for southern portions of Sussex County where precipitation was just above the 30-year normal (Figure 6).

April 2013 average temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data
Figure 3. April 2013 average temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data.

 
Delaware Mean Max Temperature Anomaly for April 2013
Figure 4. April 2013 maximum temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data

 
Delaware Mean Min Temperature Anomaly for April 2013
Figure 5. April 2013 minimum temperature departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data.

 
Delaware Mean Precipitation Anomaly for April 2013
Figure 6. April 2013 precipitation departures from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data
Sunrise in Delaware

2012 is Warmest Year on Record for Delaware Since 1895

Posted on | by Dan Leathers
Posted on Sat 02/23/13 , Updated 04/05/13

Statewide Mean Annual Temperature 1895-2012

Figure 1. Delaware statewide mean annual temperature (°F) 1895-2012.

Preliminary data indicates that Delaware saw its warmest year on record during 2012.

The mean annual temperature of 58.8 ° F was 3.9 ° F above the 1895 – 2012 mean temperature, making it the warmest year since records began in 1895.

This year broke the previous record of 58.1 ° F set in 2011.

The six warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990 (Figure 1).

The warm temperatures were accompanied by very dry conditions across the state during the year. The statewide mean precipitation of 34.53” was 10.05” below the 1895-2012 statewide mean, making 2012 the 6th driest year since records began in 1895 (Figure 2).

Conditions in Delaware mirrored those across much of the United States.

The contiguous 48 states had their highest temperature and 15th driest year since 1895 (Figures 3 and 4).

 
Statewide Annual Precipitation 1895-2012

Figure 2. Delaware statewide mean precipitation (inches) 1895-2012.
US temperature anomalies for 2012

Figure 3. Temperature anomalies (°F) across the contiguous United States. Map provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
US temperature anomalies for 2012

Figure 4. Precipitation anomalies (inches) across the contiguous United States. Map provided by the National Climatic Data Center.
 
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Kites in the Sky

First six months of 2012 warmest and driest in Last 118 Years

Posted on | by Dan Leathers
 

The January through June 2012 mean temperature of 55.0 degrees Fahrenheit was greater than five degrees above the 1895-2011 average (Figure 1).

 

The statewide January through June precipitation total of 11.88 inches was nearly ten inches below the 1895-2011 average, making 2012 the driest January through June period since 1895 (Figure 2).

Although the final data may change the rankings slightly, it is clear that January

 

through June of 2012 was unusually warm and dry across the First State.

 

High evapotranspiration rates (evaporation from the surface and transpiration from vegetation) associated with the warm temperatures, combined with record low precipitation, have produced very dry conditions across much of the State (Figure 3). In fact, nearly 82% of the state is currently experiencing abnormally dry conditions, while nearly one-third is considered to be severely dry (much and Kent and Sussex Counties).

 

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Flowers in Spring

Spring 2012: Warmest Spring in Last 118 Years

Posted on | by Dan Leathers
 

Preliminary data from the National Climatic Data

Center (NCDC) indicates that spring (MAM) of 2012 was the warmest across Delaware since records began in 1895.

 

The March through May 2012 mean temperature of 58.5 degrees Fahrenheit was nearly six degrees above the 1895-2011 average (Figure 1).

 

The last three spring seasons have all ranked in the top five warmest springs since records began.

The statewide March through May precipitation average of 6.93” was more than four inches below the 1895-2011 average, making 2012 the 5th driest spring season since 1895 (Figure 2).

Although the final data may change the rankings slightly, it is clear that spring 2012 was unusually warm and dry across the First State.

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Warm and Dry Delaware

January through April 2012: Warmest and Driest Since 1895

Posted on | by Dan Leathers
 

The January through April 2012 mean temperature of 47.4 degrees Fahrenheit was more than five degrees above the 1981-2010 normal, making it the warmest beginning to the year since records began in 1895 (Figure 1).

 

The statewide January thorough April precipitation average of 7.17” was more than seven inches below the 1981-2010 normal, making 2012 the driest beginning to the year since 1895 (Figure 2).

Although the final data may change the rankings slightly, it is clear that January through April 2012 has been unusually warm and dry across the First State.

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