November 2008

Report and Summary

Tyler, Texas
November 2008
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer

The month of November 2008 was cooler and wetter than normal. This continued a trend, which began in September,. Compared with November 2008, the month was 3.4 deg. Cooler, and 4.35 inches wetter. Year-to-date rainfall through month's end was 1.95 inches greater in 2008 than in 2007. The thirty-day outlook had called for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation the exact opposite of what occurred.

The week October 26-November 1saw temperatures about 4 degrees below normal, and no rainfall. A strong cold front crossed the region on the evening of the 26th, and held temperatures below normal until the 30th. Tyler observed its first freeze on the morning of the 28th 18 days early. This closed the 2008 growing season at 235 days 10 days short of normal. During the week's last two days, temperatures climbed as Tropical Maritime air returned. There were a few showers with the front of the 26th, and again with a crossing disturbance on the 1st. The week's average temperature was 58.6 deg. This was 2.7 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2007, the week was 3.7 deg. Cooler. There was no rain during the same week in 2007, either.

The week November 2-8 saw temperatures about a degree above normal, and rainfall about one-third normal. A cold front crossed on the 6th, bringing the week's only rainfall. The front ended the mild readings of the early-week, returning temperatures closer to seasonal normals for the week's end. Surface and upper air high pressure controlled the region's weather daily except for the crossing trough with the cold front. The week's average temperature was 61.7 deg., and rainfall was 0.30 inch. This was 3.1 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2007, the week was 1.6 deg. Cooler, and there was no rain in 2007.

The week November 9-15 saw temperatures about 3 degrees below normal, and rainfall about 450 percent of normal. Heavy rains of between one and eight inches fell in the area from late on the 10th through the morning of the 12th. These were caused by a slow-moving and powerful upper air low, intersecting a weak cold front and strong flow of moisture in the lower atmosphere from the Gulf of Mexico. The weak cold front with that system held temperatures near normal, until a strong cold front arrived on the 14th. This resulted in well-below normal temperatures for the weekend, and strong winds from the night of the 14th through the afternoon of the 15th. The week's average temperature was 55.7 deg., which was 6.0 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Rainfall was 4.75 inches. Compared with the same week in 2007, the week was 7.9 deg. Cooler, and 4.73 inches wetter.

The week November 16-22 saw temperatures about 6 degrees below normal, and no rainfall. A general freeze occurred in the region on the morning of the 16th. Scattered locations over the north and east had experienced a freeze on October 28 and 29; that of the 16th was the first freeze of the season for locations in the south and east. In Tyler, temperatures were below freezing for about seven hours. Temperatures warmed on the 17th, then cooled following strong cold fronts on the 18th and 20th, with windy conditions behind both fronts. The week's average temperature was 49.5 deg., which was 6.2 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2007, the week was 5.6 deg. Cooler, and 1.50 inches drier.

The week November 23-29 saw near normal temperatures, and rainfall about 150 percent of normal. Cold fronts crossed on the 24th and 28th, with a brief warm-up in between. Both fronts produced rain, with that of the 28th producing up to four inches southeast of Tyler. The week's average temperature was 54.5 deg., 5.0 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Rainfall was 1.67 inches. Compared with the same week in 2007, the week was 2.7 deg. Warmer, and 0.82 inch wetter. The month ended cool and windy as an upper air storm brought strong northwest winds which mixed down to the surface.

• KEY TO SYMBOLS:
• A = HAIL
• B = BLOWING
• D = DUST
• F = FOG
• H = HAZE
• IP = SLEET
• K = SMOKE
• L = DRIZZLE
• R = RAIN
• S = SNOW
• T = THUNDERSTORM
• Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME
• ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE
• ZR = FREEZING RAIN
• - = LIGHT
• + = HEAVY

R FOLLOWING A TEMPERATURE OR PRECIPITATION VALUE = RECORD

The reporting period for temperatures, precipitation, and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.

Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.

NOVEMBER 2008

• DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS
• 01 77 59 69
• 02 77 56 67
• 03 74 53 62
• 04 76 48 65
• 05 78 60 74
• 06 71 51 61 0.30 PCPN 1100-1200, MN 0000-1200 61
• 07 68 42 55 MN 0000-1200 43
• 08 70 39 56
• 09 69 43 57
• 10 59 50 57 0.11 PCPN 1100-1800
• 11 61 56 59 4.54R T, PCPN 0800-1300, 2300-2400 MN 0000-1200 57
• 12 67 51 58 0.10 F, PCPN 0000-0100, MN 0000-1200 56
• 13 69 47 63 F
• 14 71 51 65 MN 0000-1200 57
• 15 52 33 44 MN 0000-1200 42
• 16 62 30 51
• 17 75 37 58
• 18 58 40 48 MN 0000-1200 43
• 19 71 37 60
• 20 71 45 56 MN 0000-1200 48
• 21 49 33 40
• 22 54 35 51
• 23 70 49 64
• 24 66 38 54 0.30 PCPN 1000-1100, MN 0000-1200 62 MX 1200-2400 65
• 25 66 32 51
• 26 65 38 58
• 27 71 51 65 F
• 28 61 53 55 1.37 F, PCPN 1100-2200, MN 0000-1200 58, MX 1200-2400 58
• 29 60 42 51 F, MN 0000-1200 50
• 30 56 36 47 MN 0000-1200 41

NOVEMBER 2008, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:

• 2ND, RETURNED TO STANDARD TIME 0800Z;
• 11TH, RECORD PRECIPITATION, 4.54 IN., PREVIOUS RECORD 2.96 IN. IN 1985, THIRD
• WETTEST DAY IN NOVEMBER WETTEST 5.00 ON NOVEMBER 23, 1940, AND 4.57 ON
• NOVEMBER 18, 1969;
• 16TH, GENERAL FREEZE, 7.0 HOURS OF SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES HERE;
• HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 78 ON THE 5TH,
• LOWEST TEMPERATURE 30 ON THE 16TH;
• AVERAGE MAXIMUM 66.5 F.,
• AVERAGE MINIMUM 44.5 F.,
• AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.5 F.;
• 2.0 DEG. COOLER THAN NORMAL.
• HEATING DEGREE DAYS 344,
• 136.5 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
• COOLING DEGREE DAYS 9,
• 34 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
• TOTAL PRECIPITATION 6.72 IN.,
• 2.27 IN. GREATER THAN MONTHLY NORMAL.
• 151.0 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION.
• YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 56.27 IN.,
• 15.79 IN. GREATER THAN NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION,
• 139.0 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION;
• 1 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;
• 5 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS HEAVILY RESTRICTED BY FOG, SMOKE, OR
• HAZE;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED;
• 0 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL.
• 6 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED.
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEG.;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEG.;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FAILED TO RISE ABOVE 32 DEG.
• 2 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
• 440 SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 147.2,
• 2401 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 95.5.
• PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 59.75 IN.,
• TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 132.0.

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