The Pepper Ridge North Valley's
December 2008 Weather Highlights

Summary of December 2008 was a near normal month with;
Near Normal Temperatures and above Normal Rainfall

December 2008 started off with Warm Weather in the wake of the Thanksgiving Weekend Storm which brang welcome rain and the end of a long dry spell which had presisted since the end of the Monsoon Season in September! The three day storm which began on November 26th produced 0.64 inches of rain brang the first rainy Thanksgiving Weekend in about 15 years. In fact only 0.10 inches of rain had fallen since Sept 1st prior to the arrival of the first significant storm of the season

The warmest day of the month was on the 1st with a high of 75.6°F, warm weather persisted though the first 6 days of the month before the high pressure began to break down and temperatures cool to near normal. Then on the 14th a series of weather systems began to moved through the area for the next 4 days bringing welcoming valley rain and much needed Mountain Snows. The wetest day of the month occurred on Dec 16th with 0.78 inches and a high of only 51.5°F In fact this was the third day in a row with high tempertures only in 50s.

Below normal temperatures continued in the wake of the last in the series of these wet storms that had moved though the area and the high temperatures remained below normal ranging from the high 50s to low 60s through the week before Christmas. Wet weather return on Christmas Day and .40 inches of rain fell over two days as two storms moved through the area. The colder storm arrived on 26th which lowered the snow level to near 3000ft early in the morning as a light dusting of snow fell over the extreme northern fringes of the valley near Carefree. Only rain fell here at Pepperridge with 0.21 inches, but as the skies clear temperatures fell quickly into the 40s and then the mid 30s by midnight on Dec 27th.The temperature fell to 29.8°F for the first freeze of the season, and the first freeze since February. The low was a record breaker with the old record being 33.3°F in 2003 and 2007. The high of 50.9°F was the coldest high for the month and year, also breaking the daily low maximum 54.3°F in 2003. The mean temperature for the day was only 39.3°F a record for the date and the coldest day of 2008! the old mean record was 43.4°F in 2003. Another freezing day occurred on the 28th before temperatures warm quicky to above normal with highs in the low 70s to end the month and year.

By month's end we had near normal temperatures with a mean temp 52.3°F compared to last year's December which was coldest on record with a average of 49.6°F*. We ended the month with above normal rainfall with 1.83 inches for the month of December, there was 8 days with rainfall during the month which ended up the 2nd wetest December on record. For the year we ended with slightly below normal rainfall with 9.68 inches, (0.42 Inches) below the yearly average of 10.10 inches. Daily Record lows were set on the 27th of the month which was the coldest day of the year.

You can view the complete summarized December 2008 Monthly Weather summary for Pepper Ridge North Valley listed below and you can find the (full record details for December at Peppperridge North Valley in the hightlights box listed below!)

The Pepper Ridge North Valley's
Dec 2008 Weather Highlights

Dec 2008 Highlights average mean temp 52.3°F
The Normal Average Mean in 52.2°F
So Dec 2008 was +0.1°F Above Average

Hottest Dec Mean Temperature 54.1°F in 2001
Lowest Dec Mean Temperature 49.6°F in 2007*

Average Max Temperature was 63.7°F
The Normal Dec Average High is 66.1°F
So Dec 2008 was (2.4°F) below Average

Average Min Temperature was 42.7°F
The Normal Aug Average Low is 40.9°F
So Dec 2008 was +1.8°F Above Average

Hottest Dec Average Max Temperature 68.9°F in 2000
Lowest Dec Average Min Temperature 38.9°F in 2001

Hottest Dec Max Temerature 81.0°F on Dec 1st, 2003
Coolest Dec Min Temerature 27.4°F on Dec 29th, 2003

Dec Precipitation was 1.83 inches which is the 2nd wettest on record.
The greatest 24hr total 0.78 inches on Dec 16th

The Dec Precipation average is 0.88 inches
so the month was + 0.95 inches above Normal.

Wetest Dec on record 2.30 inches in 2004
Driest Dec on record 0.00 inches in 1999 & 2005