2002 WEATHER SUMMARY
· It was the hottest summer on record at this station.
(22-years of records) The average mean temperature for June, July and August
was 78.03°F. The old record was 77.05°F set in 1999.
· Rainfall for
the summer was 8.32 inches and because of the 2.26 inches occurring on the 28th
and 29th, (heaviest August rain in the last 22 years) the summer came out as
the 7th driest in the last 22 years. Otherwise it would have been the driest
summer on record. The year 1985 with
only 6.13 inches stands as the record.
· On 50 days the
temperature was 90°F or more, the greatest number ever recorded at this station.
Highest
maximum temperature 98°F was recorded
on July 4th, 23rd and August 2nd.
The record maximum at this station is
102°F recorded on 7-16-88.
Lowest minimum temperature was 16°F on December 7th and March 5th
(the lowest recorded minimum for March since 1996).
There were 50 days that were equal to
or greater than 90°F for the maximum temperature. This year had the most >= 90°F days on
record. The average is 29 days.
There were 75 days which were less
than or equal to 32°F for the minimum temperature. This year had the least <= 32°F days since
1999 which had 66 days. The average is 84 days.
MONTH
The month of December had the greatest
negative average monthly mean temperature departure of 2.08° F and the greatest number of days with a minimum temperature
of 32°F or less. (22days)
The month of January had the greatest
positive average monthly mean temperature departure of +6.75° F.
40°F
on Oct. 30th was the lowest maximum ever recorded for October at
this station. The earlier record is 41°F set October 10, 1979 on the date of
our earliest measurable snow at this station.
DAY
The 36°F temperature range on May 16th was the greatest
daily temperature range for the year.
The 3°F temperature range on, January 19th and October 30th,
was the lowest daily temperature range for the year.
YEAR
Total precipitation measured 37.66 inches, a departure of -6.03 inches.
The year as a whole will go on record as only
a little drier than average in precipitation but it
was really a very dry year until October.
From
Sept 2001 until September 2002 only two of the twelve months had above average
rainfall and both were less than +0.09 above the average. At the end of September
2002 the deficit of precipitation was -11.23 inches for 2002 and with last
year's deficit of -7.84 inches for a total of -19.07 inches below the average.
MONTH
The greatest number of days with
measurable precipitation in one month was 13
days in March and October.
October had the greatest total
rainfall: 5.65 inches, a +2.44 inch
departure.
February had the least total rainfall: 0.52 inches, a 2.41 inch departure.
DAY
The greatest calendar day rainfall for
the year was 2.07 inches which
occurred on August 28th. This was the
maximum 24-hour rainfall set a new 22-year record for date and for the month of
August. It was also the most rain in a calendar day for 2002.
HOUR
The greatest one-hour rainfall was 0.65 inches recorded on May 2nd.
The greatest five-minute rainfall was 0.32 inches which fell on May 2 nd. (The record is 0.58 inches).
YEAR
The years total snowfall at this
station was 11.4 inches that was a
departure of -9.9 inches.
The largest snow of the year was 5.0 inches on December 5th.
MONTH
December had the greatest monthly snowfall total for the year with 6.5 inches and the most snow in
December since 1989.
STORM
The greatest snowfall in one storm was
observed on December 5th with 5.0 inches that was the earliest
measurable snow recorded in December.
This snow was also the second earliest snow of this magnitude to occur
in the fall. (November 11, 1987 holds the record)
The greatest calendar day snowfall was
observed on December 5th with 5.0 inches that was the largest snow
in December since 1989.
The greatest 24-hour snowfall was
observed on December 5th with 5.0 inches.
The greatest snowfall on the ground at
any one time in the year at sunset was December 5th with 4.9 inches.
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!
YEAR
The greatest wind was recorded on November
23rd with a gust to 45 mph
from the WNW at 0143. This
wind gust was caused by the passage of a cold front. The windiest month of 2002 was February.
YEAR
December 9th had the year's
highest barometric pressure reading of 30.64
inches.
December 25th had the year's
lowest barometric pressure, 29.30
inches; that was the lowest on record since 12-18-2001 when 29.29 inches was
recorded.
MONTH
The cloudiest month was October which was also the cloudiest of
any month at this station since February 1989. The cloudiness of October is
also in part responsible for the lowest average daily temperature range
(13.03°F) for the year.
The clearest month was June which was also the clearest of any
June since 1996.