Moisture made a big comeback in November

November’s weather broke from the pattern of warm, dry conditions plaguing Denton County this year. Temperatures were cooler, and rainfall was well above normal.

The average high temperature was just 65 degrees, (8 degrees below normal) while the average low was 43, (1 degree below normal). The warmest temperature at Denton Enterprise Airport was 82 on November 9^th.

The coldest overnight low as of Nov. 26, was 23 on the morning of the 21^st. The first killing freeze was 30 degrees on November 12^th, followed by a hard freeze of 25 degrees the next morning. Denton had four consecutive nights of sub-freezing temperatures before the coldest 23-degree reading. It all worked out to an average overnight low of 43 degrees, one degree lower than the climatological average of 44.

Rainfall was well above normal. By the 21^st, Denton Enterprise had measured 2.93 inches, already above the November average. Despite November’s generous rains, Denton’s accumulated rainfall total of 25 inches still leaves us 7 inches short for the year.

Rainfall was recorded on the 4^th (1.13”), the 11^th (1.39”) and .38” on the 14^th, which was our coolest high for the day at just 44 degrees. Just before Thanksgiving, a Pacific storm system set up shop near El Paso, producing .36” on the 23^rd and .64” on the 24^th and 25^th. Another inch fell on the morning of the 26^th as the trailing edge of the storm system finally lifted out of the area. The late rains of two inches boosted Denton’s rainfall total to 5.93”, more than double our normal November rainfall of 2.30 inches.

North Texas got a tiny taste of winter on the weekend of November 19^th. Detectable, but unmeasurable snow and sleet were observed, mostly at night. Meanwhile, a “White Christmas” is seen on average, only three times per century here.

Looking ahead, the Climate Prediction Center expects December will produce near-normal temperatures and slightly below-normal precipitation. And, with the current La Nina still in progress, (cooler than normal ocean temperatures in the central Pacific), we can expect near normal temperatures and below normal precipitation through December, January and February. Just remember, that doesn’t preclude at least one headline-producing winter (or severe) storm.