The year 2009 started out where 2008 ended with storm effecting state on Jan 4th bringing 0.35 inches to Pepperridge however the wet weather did not last as things dried out for the rest of the month. Rains returned in February with 1.25 inches for the month but the dry weather returned in March with pleasant temperatures peaking in the low 80s early in the Month.

In April a strong storm moved through on the 12th and 13th bringing 0.59 inches of badly need rain and mountain snows since we had vitually no rain in March for the second year in row. The temperatures warmed quickly and the first 90 degee day of the year occured on April 19th. The temperature peaked at 98.2°F on April 21st.

In May as the dry season began to take hold. The temperatures climb back into the 90s and the century mark was reached for the first time on May 8th at 2:48pm. The hot weather persisted and peak at 103.6°F on May 18th. Then a late season storm brang a rare May rainfall event for the second year in a row with 0.13on May 21st and 0.11 on May 22nd bringing the May rainfall total to 0.24 inches the second wettest May on record. The wettest May on record occured with 0.51 inches in 2006. Dry weather returned for the rest of May with temperatures in the 90s.

Then in early June typical weather prevailed this was followed by a series of dry windy storms passing through the state keeping the temperatures in the low 90s for a 12 day period between the 5th and 19th of the month. The typical June weather returned for the last 10 days of the month with the high temperature climbing to 107°F on Jun 28th The late June heatwave was a sign of the weather to come in July after the pleasant June weather of earlier in the Month.

Under the new rules the The Monsoon Season began on June 15th but no real storms appeared to mid July. The heat and dry weather were the story of the month which ended the Hottest July/month ever at Pepperridge with a average mean the temperature of 95.0°F beating the prior record which was a the record for the breaking the old record of 93.6°F set in July 2003!!! Sky Harbor Phoenix's official recording station also recorded the hottest month on record 98.3 °F in July 2009. Temperature peaked for the year at Pepperridge on July 27th with 111.1°F but the high also reached 110.8°F on July 12th and Jul 19th with 5 days above 110°F for the month. The 2009 Monsoon began on June 29th based on the old method the dewpoint criteria which has to have average 55°F or above for 3 days in a row This criteria was met on July 1st which means the Monsoon began on June 29th But do to strong high pressure the first measurable rain was not measured to the 20th of July as the heat prevail. By month's end 0.13 inches of rain fallen tying the driest July 2000 as the driest July on record making a dry slow start to the 2009 Monsoon. This was probally the result of the return of "El Nino" to the Pacific which tends to suppress the trade winds responable for feeding moisture into the state from Mexico.

August began with the weak anemic "NONSOON" contining the heat persisted into early August with the warmest minimum temperature ever recorded at Pepperidge occuring on August 5th with 90.2°F breaking the prior highest minimum of 89.2°F on July 15th, 2003. The first decent storm of the Monsoon season did not occur at Pepperridge until Aug 13th with 0.32 inches of rain. By Month's End there were only 3 days of measurable rain for the month with monthly total of 0.54 inches. The 2nd Decent Storm of Monsoon 2009 at Pepperidge occured on Aug 31st and produced 0.32 inches of rain and a peak Wind Gust of 25 Mph at 8:25pm. The peak wind gust during the Monsoon season occurred on August 21st with 29 mph at 8:05pm although only 0.02 inches was measured then the only other day to see measurable rain in August.

By September things began to dry out with only 0.02 inches falling at Pepperridge during the Labor Day weekend cold front that left parts of the valley with nearly a inch of rain, essentially ended the weak Monsoon Season. Weak attempts to return the moisture occured though the first half of the month by months end the official end of the Monsoon, no more measurable rain had fallen. Pepperridge had measured only 0.69 inches of rain the driest Monsoon on record at Pepperridge. Sky Harbor usually one of driest areas of town faired a little better with The 0.87" of rain that fell at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport was the 10th driest Monsoon on record. For the complete Monsoon Highlights Click Here.

Warm dry weather continued in October with no rain falling during the monthr. Early November was warm and dry and this pattern persisted through end month with only 0.03 inches falling in November which means only 0.05 inches of rain fell in September through November.

In December the wetter weather pattern began to develop which hopefully maybe the first signs of "El Nino". The first significant storm of the winter season entered the state on December 7th bringing "Blizzard conditions" to the high country and the most single day rainfall to to Pepperridge since February. This strong storm also produced a round of strong thunderstorms that produce the peak wind gust of 43 mph at Pepperridge, although parts of the valley report wind gust in 50 to 60 mph range with some wind related damage reported accross the valley. The tempetures warmed to the low 70s mid month but below normal temperatures returned on Dec 21st as a fast moving storm moved through the state on the 22nd bring valley thunderstorms and mountain snow although this storm was not nearly as strong as the storm early in the month. Cold weather presited in the wake of the storm with the coldest night of the year occuring on Christmas morning with a low of 33.3°F however it was not quite cold enough to freeze the last freeze occured in Dec 2008 on Dec 28th with 31.8°F. Cool below normal weather presisted though the end of the month as another storm affected primary the high country on Dec 30th with mountain snows but only a Trace of rain here at Pepperridge. The skies cleared quickly to provide a execellent viewing of the Blue Moon on New Year's Eve.

In summary the year of 2009 began wet with a Wet February things began to dry in March with little rain falling until a rare late season storm in Apr. The Monsoon Season was sporadic with little measureable rain in fact it was the driest Monsoon Season on record with 0.69 inches. Dry weather persisted through the fall and the year ended with slightly wetter than normal December. But is was not enough to prevent Pepperridge from recording the driest year on record beating the prior mark of 5.40 inches set in 2002. Officially at Sky Harbor it was 7th driest year on record!