In the Jan 2015 Southwest Climate Outlook, we look back at 2014, including record temperatures for the Southwest, the recent trends in precipitation and drought, and forward into 2015 as we continue to wait for El Niño to give us a definitive answer. (read more)
In the January Southwest Climate Podcast, Zack Guido is back and joins Mike Crimmins to discuss the state of the climate in 2014, including the record year for Arizona and the near record year for New Mexico. They also talk about weather systems that affected our most recent temperature and precipitation patterns, the ongoing uncertainty with El Niño, or as some have started referring to it, "El Limbo", and the state of precipitation and drought in the southwest. They wrap things up looking at the seasonal outlooks and the projected trends for the coming year. (read more)
After a very dry and warm November, the weather pattern turned more wintry and active in December bringing some much needed precipitation to Arizona. (read more)
From the Dec 18, 2014 - Southwest Climate Outlook -
We are still waiting for a decisive signal, but conditions indicate we are near, or possibly already into, at least a weak El Niño event. (read more)
Taken from the Dec 18, 2014 - Southwest Climate Outlook -
In the November Southwest Climate Podcast, Ben McMahan and Mike Crimmins discuss the warm autumn weather in the southwest, the transition to winter weather patterns, the ongoing uncertainty of El Niño forecasts, a recap of El Niño conditions and definitions, and the possibility of interaction between El Niño conditions and weather patterns in the southwest looking forward. read more
A pesky ridge of high pressure over the east Pacific dominated the weather much of November steering storms well to our north and east leaving Arizona with unusually warm and dry conditions. (read more)
The 2014 Pacific hurricane season was the most active season on record since 1992, with 20 named storms (Fig. 1). Fourteen of those storms developed into hurricanes, including eight major hurricanes (category 3 or greater), also breaking a record held since 1992. (read more)
From the Nov 20, 2014 Southwest Climate Outlook
The long-awaited El Niño event projected to develop during winter 2014 – 2015 has yet to send a decisive signal regarding an official start, but a number of factors have increased forecasters’ confidence that one will emerge. The strength of this event still remains in question, however with the most likely projection still centering on a weak or weak to moderate event (
