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Comparative Climatic Data
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Overview

    These data tables of meteorological elements outline the climatic conditions at major weather observing stations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Pacific Islands. The data are from observing sites presently in use or include data from former sites that are comparable in exposure. Stations having less than three years of data for the current operating site are omitted from the tables of observed data. Data in this publication have been extracted from the Normals Means and Extremes table contained in the Local Climatological Data Annual Summary, published for individual stations.

    Stations are listed alphabetically by state. The tables are arranged so that values of the same element can be compared for different locations by use of a single table. Some weather stations do not regularly report various elements and will therefore not be listed in the table for that element. Asterisks (*) denote average frequency of occurrence greater than zero, but smaller than one half.

    Samples of our Most Popular Publications

    Related product(s): Local Climatological Data Annual Summaries CDROM


Data Tables


Table Notes

    The following gives a full explanation of all symbols and caveats used to explain the data values in the above data tables.

    I.Observed Data (Monthly and Annual) - These values are the
    means and extremes for the Period of Record (number of
    years) indicated. Period of record are documented in the
    Local Climatological Data annual publications.
    
       A.        Temperature - Highest of Record, Degrees
                 Fahrenheit (F)
    
       B.        Temperature - Lowest of Record, Degrees
                 Fahrenheit (F)
    
                 The annual temperature entry for each station
                 represents the highest or lowest observed
                 temperature in any month.
    
       C.        Mean Number of Days with Minimum Temperature
                 32 Degrees F or less.
    
                 The mean number of days with a minimum
                 temperature of 32 degrees F or lower indicates
                 the frequency of occurrence of days with
                 freezing temperatures.
    	
       D.       Mean number of days with Maxium Temperature 90 degrees F or More 
                  (70 Degrees F or More for Alaska Stations)
    
       E.       Mean number of Days with Precipitation 0.01
                 Inches or More
    
                 This table shows mean number of days per month
                 with at least 0.01 inch of precipitation. 
                 This is the smallest amount of precipitation
                 numerically recorded, and includes the liquid
                 water equivalent of frozen precipitation.  The
                 frequency of days with precipitation should
                 not be considered as frequency of cloudy days.
    
       F.        Snowfall (including ICE PELLETS and SLEET) -
                  Average Total in Inches.
    
                  NOTE:     Beginning in April 1988 HAIL is
                           also included under Snowfall. 
                           Therefore, some stations may
                           show snowfall during the warm
                           months.
    
       G.        Wind - Average Speed (MPH)
    
                 The average wind speed is based on the speed
                 of the wind regardless of direction.
    
       H.        Wind - Maximum Speed (MPH)
    
                 This table expresses both a maximum wind speed
                 for the stations and, where available, the
                 direction (referenced to true North) from
                 which it blew.  Short gusts are listed only
                 for stations denoted with a (G).
    
                 If the direction is expressed as one of the 16
                 compass points (N, NNE, NE, etc.) the maximum
                 speed is calculated from the minimum time
                 during which one mile of wind passed the
                 station.  Note that some stations that report
                 short gusts (G) may also use the 16 compass
                 point reference for wind direction.
    
                 If the direction is expressed numerically, the
                 maximum speed is the highest one minute
                 average value recorded by the observer. 
                 Direction is given in tens of degrees
                 clockwise from true North.
    
       I.        Sunshine - Average Percentage of Possible
    
                 The total time that sunshine reaches the
                 surface of the earth is expressed as the
                 percentage of the maximum amount possible from
                 sunrise to sunset with clear sky conditions.
    
       J.        Cloudiness - Mean Number of Days - Clear (CL),
                 Partly Cloudy (PC), Cloudy (CD)
    
                 This table shows the mean number of days per
                 category of cloudiness.  The categories are
                 determined for daylight hours only.  Clear
                 denotes zero to 3/10 average sky cover. 
                 Partly cloudy denotes 4/10 to 7/10 average sky
                 cover.  Cloudy denotes 8/10 to 10/10 average
                 sky cover.
    
       K.        Average Relative Humidity (percent) - Morning
                 (M) and Afternoon (A)
    
                 The relative humidity is expressed as a
                 percentage measure of the amount of moisture
                 in the air compared to the maximum amount of
                 moisture the air can hoad at the same
                 temperature and pressure.  Average humidity
                 values are given for selected morning and
                 afternoon observations.  Maximum relative
                 humidity values usually occur during morning
                 hours.  In this publication, the Local
                 Standard Time (LST) of morning and afternoon
                 humidities are shown below.
                               
    Atlantic, Alaskan               (M morning 8 A.M.) (Afternoon 2 P.M.)
    Eastern, Bering, 165W Meridian  (M morning 7 A.M.) (Afternoon 1 P.M.)
    Central, 180E Meridian          (M morning 6 A.M.) (Afternoon NOON)
    Mountain, 165E Meridian         (M morning 5 A.M.) (Afternoon 5 P.M.)
    Pacific, 150E Meridian          (M morning 4 A.M.) (Afternoon 4 P.M.)
    135E Meridian                   (M morning 9 A.M.) (Afternoon 3 P.M.)
    
    II.  Climatological Normals (Monthly and Annual) - these
         are the 30-year average values computed from the data
         recorded during the period 1971- 2000.  Normals are
         updated decennially, for the most recent 30-year
         period.  If an instruments exposure was changed,
         mathematical adjustments are made to make the data
         representative of the current location.  The values are
         statistically determined and cannot be recreated solely
         from the original record.
    
         A.        Normal Daily Maximum Temperature, Degrees F
    
         B.        Normal Daily Minimum Temperature, Degrees F.
    
         C.        Normal Daily Mean (Average) Temperature,
                   Degrees F.
    
                   In A, B, and C above, the temperature data are
                   the normal daily values for each month. They
                   have been adjusted, as necessary.
    
         D.        Normal Heating Degree Days (July-June)
    
         E.        Normal Cooaing Degree Days (January-December)
    
                   Degree day data are used to estimate amounts
                   of energy required to maintain comfortable
                   indoor temperature levels. Daily values are
                   computed from each days mean temperature (max
                   + min/2).  Each degree that a day's mean
                   temperature is below or above 65 degrees
                   Fahrenheit is counted as one heating or
                   cooaing degree day.
    
         F.        Normal Precipitation, Inches
    
                   The normal precipitation is the arithmetic
                   mean for each month over the 30-year period,
                   adjusted as necessary, and includes the liquid
                   water equivalent of snowfall.
    


Downloading of ASCII data used in Publication

    The ASCII formatted files for data used in this publication can be found at http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data. These files are useful for importing into spreadsheet programs for analysis.

    Please read the readme.txt file included in this directory for further information regarding file naming conventions and layout.

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