December was a bit warm, a bit wet

Most of North Carolina experienced a relatively warm and wet December to close out 2008. Mean temperatures across the state were generally 2.5-4.5 °F above normal, while precipitation totals for the month were generally between 90% and 130% of normal. The warmest region was the Southern Coastal Plain, where temperatures were nearly 4.5 °F above normal for the month. This regional was also the driest in NC during December, with only 89% of normal precipitation (-0.38 inches from normal). The smallest departures in temperature were observed in the Southern Piedmont, where temperatures were only 2.5 °F above normal on average. The wettest region was the Southern Mountains, where most locations experienced several days with heavy precipitation and the regional average precipitation total was greater than 130% of normal. Fortunately, this is the region that had been experiencing the most severe drought conditions in NC, so the rainfall is a welcome promise for recharge to streams, reservoirs, and groundwater supplies.

Temperature and Precipitation by climate division
Departures from Normal for December 2008 - based on preliminary data.

Change in US Drought Monitoring Status during December 2008
Provided by the NC DENR Division of Water Resources

December rainfall brought drought relief to the entire region, but the most benefits have been observed in western NC, where exceptional D4 drought conditions improved to D2 by the end of the month. Drought impacts still experienced in western part of the state are almost exclusively limited to long-term water supplies.

Ever Wondered About Weather for MLK Day?

It often gets asked – what’s the historical weather for the next holiday? No, it’s not just asked by those looking to get in a round of golf on their day off. For many holidays, developing a climatology of averages and extremes is fairly easy since for lots of holidays, the event falls on the same date every year. But what about Thanksgiving? Easter? And Martin Luther King Day? These holidays (and several others) fall on different dates each year. So to provide historical summaries for all holidays, the SCO has a new Holiday Climatology page for all historical Cooperative Observers in NC. NWS Cooperative Observers have the best long-term record of temperature and precipitation, and there is probably one in your county! So enjoy, and be ready when someone asks about the record temperature observed on Columbus Day!

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/holiday_climatology.php