Annandale - Lowell reports:"
December was the coldest month of the year and had above average
precipitation. The lowest temperature was 16° on the 7th which tied for
the annual minimum temperature that also occurred on March 5th 2002. It
was the coldest December since 2000 when the mean monthly temperature
averaged a full 6° colder than this December.
The snow total on December 5th of 5.0 inches set a new 22 year maximum
snowfall record for the date and the first snow to be recorded on this
date! It was also the earliest measurable snow ever recorded in December
and the second earliest of this magnitude recorded in the fall season
in the last 22 years. Only the Veteran's Day Storm of 11-11-1987 was
earlier and of a greater magnitude.
The record amount of precipitation for Christmas day of 0.86 inches
was a new 22 year maximum precipitation record for the date; the old
record was only 0.28 inches in 1997.
Annandale Weather Center had 0.4 inches of snow and sleet on
Christmas morning making it the first white Christmas since 1993
when 1.4 inches fell on Christmas night with a cold frontal passage!
December also had the highest snowfall total (6.5 inches) since 1989
when 14.2 inches occurred.
The December average mean temperature was 35.76° with a
departure of -2.08° and is only the second month of 2002
to have a negative temperature departure and was the
cloudiest December since 1998.
The December rainfall had a surplus of +1.37 inches
which was the most rain in December since 1996.
Two days had precipitation amounts that set new
22-year records for the date. For the year, we now
have a deficit of -6.03 inches in precipitation and
with last year's deficit of -7.84 inches we are
still behind a total of -13.87 inches. In September
this deficit was -19.07 inches.
The maximum gust of 36 mph from the west on
the 26th at 2100 hours was the highest wind
gust recorded this month.
The minimum barometer reading of 29.30
inches on the 25th was the lowest
recorded since 12-18-2001 when 29.29
inches was recorded.
December DAILY Records Tied or Broken (22-Years of records):
December had 3 daily LOW maximum 22-year temperature record/s
for the date: 1, 4, 5;
December had 3 daily LOW minimum
22-year temperature record/s for the date:
4, 6, 7;
December had 3 daily LOW range 22-year
temperature record/s for the date: 5, 11, 25;
December had 2 daily HIGH 22-year precipitation record/s for the date: 11, 25;
December had 2 daily HIGH 22-year snowfall record/s for the date: 5, 24.
You can view Lowell's Annandale Year 2002 summary at our website.
Simply click here.
- [ - + ]
Arlington - NWS WBC's Dewey Walston reports:
RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL OF 6.1" SET ON DECEMBER 5TH. THE OLD RECORD
WAS 4.5" SET IN 1910. DECEMBER 2002 CONTINUED THE PATTERN ESTABLISHED IN THE SECOND HALF OF
OCTOBER INTO NOVEMBER OF COLDER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND SURPLUS
RAINFALL. THAT EXCESS RAINFALL HELPED TO RECHARGE GROUNDWATER THAT
WAS REDUCED TO EXTRAORDINARILY LOW LEVELS DURING THE DROUGHT. IN
ADDITION...THE 7.1 INCHES OF SNOW MADE IT THE SNOWIEST DECEMBER
SINCE 1989 WHEN 9.0 INCHES FELL.
Rainfall for the month was 1.40" above normal while
average temps were 2.3° below normal. The average
wind speed was 8.8 mph.
[ - + ]
Ashburn - Gary Oldham checks in:
"
December seems to be the month for records at my station. A new low temp
record was set on the 7th at 4.5°. A new high barometric pressure was set
on the 9th at 30.683 inHg. On Christmas Day, the barometer came within
.02" of setting a new low record. December also set a new high for heating
degree days at 952.5 (using the integration method) and was the first month
on record with NO Cooling Degree Days. My anemometer was out of service
between 21 November and 13 December; the first several days of December
were quite windy, and almost undoubtedly exceeded my "declared" high wind
speed of 29 MPH on the 25th. The cause of the anemometer failure was
ultimately determined to be a bad Sensor Interface Module on my Vantage
Pro station and was only determined after the anemometer itself was replaced.
This is the third SIM board on my station in its short 18 month life.
December's temperature was 1.8° below normal. The mean humidity was 65%
and the mean dew point for the month was 23°. The snowfall on the 4th
through the 6th totaled 5.6" and was the first measurable snowfall of
the season, starting with huge flakes and snowing steadily through much of
the 5th.
" [ - - ]
Blacksburg - NWS Blacksburg reports the monthly mean temp
was 1.2° below normal while rainfall was 0.94" above normal. [ - + ]
Bridgewater - "
The average temperature for the month was 2.1° below normal,
and the precipitation was about an inch above normal. The -5° on the
7th was the first zero reading since 1996. Snow on the ground contributed
to the low reading.
Snow on the 5th was beautiful, and covered most of Virginia and
neighboring states. A half inch of snow that occurred on Christmas Eve and
Christmas morning gave us a white Christmas. According to my records, this
is only the 7th white Christmas that has occurred in the past 38 years.
notes from Clayton [ - + ]
Centreville -
Our average high of 42° and our average low of 26° happened to both come
together on December 7th. Those two temperatures averaged below the
statistical monthly average of averages of 34.9° by a slight one-degree.
The extremes for the month helped to keep the averages about average too.
The lowest temperature of 12° recorded on December 4th and the highest of 59°
on the 31st worked out to be about ½° of the 34.9° median of the means.
Need I remind us of a record 81° on December 8th, just four years ago?
The average low temperature for this month of 25.9° was just 2.6° above
from where we ought to be. March was the only other month in 2002 when
the reported and the statistical low temperatures were so close. Now,
that should get us back down from the palm trees for a while
Centreville was on the plus side in the precipitation department again thanks
to 6.8" of snow; nearly 5" more that the official snow book says we should
have received. Thank goodness Santa & Co. were able to get their deliveries
done on schedule once again. Having to navigate the routes around
Centreville a day later would have put a different spin on things. This
year we had out first snowfall on Christmas Day in 33 years when 0.9" began
to accumulate on out terra firma in the morning. Not a big deal by Santa's
standards, but later that day, with the barometer bottoming out at 29.32"
around noon, the winds began to pick-up and at 10:30 pm a gust of 42 mph
out of the northwest could have really upset his gyros. For December totals
after mixing the water equivalent of snow with real rain, drizzle, grauple,
and a wayward wren, 4.21" went in the logbook and the indications are that we
were 0.92" in excess above the 3.29" normal. It wasn't until October that
I began to record a monthly rain surplus that
continued throughout the rest of the year. The generosity of the precip
people above began to cut our measured deficit from 7.37" in September to
just 1.94", a 75% reduction, in just three months. A set of facts such as
these don't do anyone much good except to note that after nearly two years,
our drought conditions might be becoming less severe. We can hope.
"
- notes from Paul [ +/- + ]
Charlottesville - The monthly average temperature was 4.0° below
normal while rainfall was 1.12" above normal. The average wind speed
was 5.4 mph. [ - + ]
Dulles - The mean temp was 2.6° below normal. The monthly
rainfall was 0.54" above normal. Average wind speed, 5.9 mph. - from NWS WBC
[ - + ]
Falls Church - "
December 2002 was a colder and wetter than average month. We also saw our
first major snow of the season on the 5th. I had 5" here in Falls Church.
The real treat came Christmas Eve and Day where we finally had a white
Christmas here in Washington. It had been quite some time since there has
been snow on the ground for Christmas. I'd like to wish everyone a
Happy New Year!!!!!
" - notes from Erica
[ - + ]
Hampton - Report from Dave: "
MONTHLY RECORDS:
DAILY PRECIP RECORD 2.00 ON 12/5 AND A
RECORD LOW MAX 37 ON 12/6.
SUMMARY: COLD WEATHER WAS THE WORD FOR MOST OF THIS MONTH WITH AN NEAR MISS
EARLY SNOW/ICE EVENT ON THE PENINSULA. A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WITH A
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE OF 29.30 INCHES CHRISTMAS DAY AND STRONG WIND GUST OF
40-45 MPH, HOWEVER NO SNOW!!! THE MONTH CLOSED ON A VERY MILD SPELL THAT I
HOPE DOES NOT SIGNAL A MILD WINTER! THOSE OF US WHO LIKE SNOW, COLD AND
BLIZZARDS (I ONE OF THEM) ARE PRAYING FOR THE NEGATIVE NAO. HAPPY SLEDDING!!
" - [ M M ]
Harrisonburg - Terry sends these remarks:
"
Temperatures for December averaged 1.1° below normal. Total
precipitation for the month was 2.74" which was .30" above normal. Yearly
precipitation totals 35.64" which is .80" below normal.
Yearly temperatures were 2.4° above normal.
" [ - + ]
Herndon Bob notes: "
My precip was 1.35 inches above "normal;" and for the
calendar year 1.47 inches ABOVE the "normal" for Wash. Dulles.
Average max temp was 5 ° below the Dulles "normal"; the
average min was only 1° above. Dulles is about 4 miles WSW.
"
[ - + ]
Herndon -
"
The monthly temperature was 1.8° below
average and rainfall was 1.29 inches above average.
Snowfall was 6.3 inches above average. We had 5.5 inches
of snow on December 5th, which set a daily record and was
the 2nd greatest snowfall to occur so early in the year. Snow
also fell on the 24th (1 inch) and 25th (2 inches) to give us a rare White Christmas in the Washington, DC area. An ice
storm on the 11th brought down many large tree limbs, as it
accumulated 3/8 inches on our trees. We received 1.27 inches
of freezing rain in 5 hours. Sleet mixed with our beautiful
snowfall on Christmas Day, keeping the snow depth down.
" - notes from Russ [ - + ]
Lexington - Scott from WREL notes:
"
Average temperature in Lexington was 34.0 which
is 3.5° below normal. Of note was our monthly low temperature
of 3.0° which occurred under a very cold ridge. This was also our
lowest temperature reading since January, 2000...nearly 2 years!
Average rainfall is 2.96 so our total of 3.05" was about normal.
This was also the fourth straight month our precipitation exceeded
monthly norms. Snowfall of 6.75" primarily was from the system that
passed the Mid-Atlantic on 12/4-12/5. This event produced widespread
5"-6" totals in the Shenandoah Valley. We also recorded *half* a
White Christmas! 0.75" of snow fell early on December 25, however by
12 Noon temperatures were in the mid-thirties so our snow quickly melted.
Also, based on Wind Run, December was the windiest month of the year,
yet did not produce the highest wind gust of 2002.
" [ - + ]
Louisa - "
We ended up the year on a warm note here in Louisa and for the first time in
four years our rainfall exceeded the average! Even Lake Anna is back up at
the 250' level! Woo hoo!
" - report from Joe
Lynchburg -
Rainfall for the month was 0.81" above normal while
the mean temp was 2.4° below normal. - from NWS Blacksburg
[ - + ]
Norfolk - Jim Fentress noted 0.1" freezing rain on the 4th and
0.2" on the 5th.
Norfolk - NWS AKQ reported the mean temp at ORF was 1.9° below normal.
Rainfall was 1.13" above normal. The average wind speed was 10.1 mph. Sky cover
was 40%. [ - + ]
Portsmouth - December was colder and wetter
than normal.
The average temp was 1.9° below the
normal. Rainfall was 164% (+1.64") of the normal. Station records set
include:
4th - Temperature - Minimum Maximum 36° [previously 39° in 1989];
5th - Precipitation - Daily 1.74" [previously 0.85" in 1978];
6th - Temperature - Minimum Maximum TIED 40° [previously in 1997].
December had a remarkably low barometer reading of 29.334" on Christmas Day.
The month started off cold, but warmed as it progressed. Snow, sleet, and
glaze gave the first winter weather on the 4th and 5th with only a trace snow
recorded. Sky cover for the month was 39%.
The average wind speed was 4.56 mph from a dominant SW direction.
The year ended with mean temps 1.7° above
normal while rainfall was 4.00" above normal (108%).
The long-term deficit is 4.56" (since September 2001).
[ - + ]
Richmond - NWS AKQ reported the mean temp at RIC was 1.9° below normal.
Rainfall was 0.33" above normal. The average sky cover was 60% while the average relative humidity was 68%.
The average wind speed was 8.1 mph. [ - + ]
Mechanicsville - Glenn notes: "
Periods of snow, sleet, and freezing rain on the fifth. 34 mph winds gust on
the 21st.
"
New Market = "
2002 in Review: The annual rainfall was 38.38" which was 3" above normal while
the annual mean temp was 55.3°.
January to December snowfall totaled 15". The temp ranged from 5° below zero
to 99° on the 2, 3, and 23 of August.
" - notes from Joyce
Roanoke - Wendell reports: "
Colder and wetter than normal for us in Roanoke. Temps were
1.4° below normal. 6.6" of snow is 4.6" above normal of 2". A very good
month "weatherwise."
- [ - + ]
Roanoke - NWS Blacksburg reports that the monthly mean temp was
1.4° below normal. Rainfall was 1.06" above normal. [ - + ]
Woodstock -
"
December precipitation was above average (5th of 17 years) and
temperatures were below average (5th of 17 years)
" - notes from Lauck [ - + ]
North Carolina:
Asheville - from NWS GSP: The monthly mean temp was 0.4° below
normal and the rainfall was 3.00" above normal. The average wind speed was
7.4 mph. Average relative humidity 73% while the average sky cover was 40%.
[ - + ]
Charlotte - NWS GSP reports the mean temp here was 3.5° below normal
and precip was 1.78" above normal. The average wind speed was 5.4 mph.
The average sky cover and relative humidity were 60% and 69% respectively.
[ - + ]
Elizabeth City - The Elizabeth City Coast Guard Station [ECG]
reported an average wind speed of 10.5 mph. The mean temp was 2.8° below normal
while rainfall was 0.68" above normal. The average relative humidity was 76% while
the average sky cover was 40%. - from NWS AKQ [ - + ]
Fayetteville - NWS RDU reports the average wind speed was 6.6 mph and
the average relative humidity was 69% while the average sky cover was 30%.
Cape Hatteras -
The average temperature was 48.3°. This was -0.8° cooler than the 1895-2002
average, the 44th coolest December on record (1895-2002).
3.44" of precipitation fell in December. This was -1.67" less than the
1895-2002 average, the 26th driest such month on record (1895-2002).
- from NCDC [ - - ]
Greensboro - NWS RDU notes a mean temp here of 1.1° below normal.
Rainfall was 2.61" above normal. The average wind speed was 6.6 mph.
The average relative humidity was 72%. The average sky cover was 40%.
- [ - + ]
Lumberton - The average wind speed was 6.6 mph. The average monthly
temperature 1.8° below normal while rainfall was 0.32" below normal - from NWS ILM
[ - - ]
Raleigh - NWS RAH reported the monthly average temp was 2.5° below
normal while rainfall was 2.00" above normal. The average relative humidity
was 68% while the average sky cover was 50%.
FOR DECEMBER THERE WAS ONE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE THAT TIED
THE OLD RECORD OF 67 ON THE 20TH. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS IN 1987.
WE ALSO HAD A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE ON THE 6TH OF 38°.
THE OLD RECORD WAS 39° IN 1969 AND 1992.
- [ - + ]
Raleigh - Bob reports: "
Major ice storm occurred on December 4th and December 5th. Precipitation
began as snow during afternoon of the 4th but soon changed to freezing rain.
Total snow and ice accumulation was 2". Widespread power outages due to
falling trees and limbs. At one time there were over 1 million customers
without power. I lost power and water for 3 days, but some customers were
without power for a week or longer.
Otherwise, the average daily temperature was below normal (-2.0 degrees)
and precipitation was above normal (+2.12").
"
- [ - + ]
Roxboro - Merriell writes: "
Winter comes a few weeks early with a major winter storm. A combination of snow,
sleet and freezing rain caused widespread but minor damage. December temperature
monthly average was near normal. Precipitation totals were above normal.
"
- [ -/ + ]
Wilmington - From NWS ILM:
The average temp was 3.4° below
normal while rainfall was a 1.25" below normal.
The average wind speed was 7.8 mph.
[ - - ]
South Carolina:
Charleston - NWS CHS reports the monthly mean temp was 2.2° below
normal. Rainfall was 1.85" above normal. The average wind speed was 7.7 mph.
- [ - + ]
Columbia - NWS CAE reports that the mean temp here was 2.5° below
normal. Rainfall was a 0.38" above normal. The average wind speed was 6.5 mph.
Average relative humidity was 67% while the average sky cover was
50%. [ - + ]
Florence - The mean temp here was 3.9° below normal
while rainfall totals were 1.30" below normal. The average wind speed was 7.0 mph.
- from NWS ILM [ - - ]
Greenville-Spartanburg - The monthly mean temperature was 1.6°
below normal while rainfall was 0.63" above normal. The average wind speed
was 6.2 mph.
The average relative humidity was 74% and the average sky cover was 40%.
- from NWS GSP [ - + ]
North Myrtle Beach - The mean temp was 2.2° below normal while
rainfall was 0.28" below normal. The average wind speed was 6.6 mph.
- from NWS ILM [ - - ]
Orangeburg - NWS CAE reports the average wind speed was
6.5 mph. The average sky cover was 30% while the average relative humidity
was 72%.
Nearby Cities:
Tri-Cities - The mean temp was 0.4° above normal while the
monthly precip was 0.99" above normal.
For the year, rainfall was 1.09" below
normal. - from NWS MRX [ + + ]
