November 2003

Report and Summary

Tyler, Texas
November 2003
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer

The month of November 2003 was warmer and drier than normal. The month continued the dry Autumn. Total rainfall between September 1 and November 30 was 7.85 inches, which is 61 percent of normal. The month was 5.3 deg. warmer than November 2002, and 0.75 inch drier. Year-to-date rainfall through November 30 was 0.09 inch greater in 2003 than in 2002.

The thirty-day outlook for November 2003 had called for above normal temperatures and near normal precipitation. The week october 26-November 1 saw temperatures 3 deg. above normal, and rainfall about one-fourth normal.

A Polar Maritime air mass was in place through the evening of the 29th, when it was replaced by Tropical Maritime air under upper air high pressure over the Southeastern United States.

The result was a cool first half of the week, and a very warm last half. The week's only rain fell the evening of the 25th when the cold front passed. There were a few light sprinkles in parts of the area on the morning of the 31st with a slight weakness in the upper air high and a strong low-level jet. Tyler-- City Office received a trace of rainfall.

The Aurora Borealis was visible the morning of the 29th due to the strong solar magnetic storm.

The record high minimum temperature for the 31st was tied in Tyler. The week's average temperature was 66.4 deg, and rainfall was 0.27 inch. The temperature was 4.0 deg. cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 7.6 deg. warmer, and 0.48 inch drier.

The week November 2-8 saw near normal temperatures, and rainfall about 10 percent of normal. The week began very warm, with a Tropical Maritime air mass in place. On the 5th, a strong cold front moved through. This shallow layer of cool air was overridden by warmer air just above the surface.

This caused a period of cloudiness and intermittent light rain between the afternoon of the 5th and the evening of the 9th. The week's average temperature was 61.5 deg., and precipitation was 0.12 inch. This was 4.9 deg. cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 3.9 deg. warmer, and 1.43 inches drier.

The week November 9-15 began cool under the inversion layer, warmed rapidly at mid-week as Tropical Maritime air returned, and cooled slightly at the end of the week with a weak cold front on the 13th. Light rain fell in the warm air mass ahead of the cold front on the 11th and 12th.

The week's average temperature was 3 deg. warmer than normal, and rainfall was about 5 percent of normal. The average temperature was 62.3 deg., and rainfall was 0.08 inch. The week was 0.8 deg. warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 4.0 deg. warmer, and 0.04 inch drier.

The week November 16-22 saw temperatures about 7 deg. warmer than normal, and near normal rainfall. the week began and ended warm under Tropical Maritime air. A Pacific cold front crossed on the 17th, bringing rainfall and lowering temperatures at mid-week. Tropical Maritime air returned the night of the 21st, ahead of a storm system which crossed on the evening of the 22nd.

The week's average temperature was 62.8 deg., 0.5 deg. warmer than the previous week. Rainfall totaled 1.20 inches. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 8.8 deg warmer. There was no rain during the week in 2002.

The week November 23-29 saw temperatures 4 deg. cooler than normal, and rainfall about 20 percent of normal.

Two modified Polar Continental air masses entered the region during the week-- the first on the 23rd and the second on the 27th. Most of the week's rainfall occurred with the passage of the first front. The growing season ended on the 24th as the area observed its first widespread freeze.

Temperatures warmed at mid-week as Tropical Maritime air returned ahead of the front of the 27th. Patchy light rain occurred with a warm front on the morning of the 26th.

The week's average temperature was 49.9 deg., which was 12.9 deg. cooler than the previous week. Rainfall was 0.21 inch. Compared with the same week in 2002, the week was 2.5 deg. warmer, and 0.46 inch drier.

The final day of the month saw warming temperatures ahead of another strong cold front which crossed on December 1.

• KEY TO SYMBOLS:
• A = HAIL
• B = BLOWING
• D = DUST
• F = FOG
• H = HAZE
• IP = SLEET
• K = SMOKE
• L = DRIZZLE
• R = RAIN
• S = SNOW
• T = THUNDERSTORM
• Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME
• ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE
• ZR = FREEZING RAIN
• - = LIGHT
• + = HEAVY

The reporting period for temperatures and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. The reporting period for precipitation is for the twenty-four hours ending at noon GMT--6 a.m. CST and 7 a.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.

Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.

NOVEMBER 2003

• 01 81 65 68
• 02 78 61 73
• 03 81 61 73 F
• 04 82 59 74
• 05 80 64 70
• 06 70 47 51 0.01 MAX 1200-2400 54,PCPN 0400-0500, 1300-1500
• 07 51 46 50 0.07 PCPN 1300-1700
• 08 50 47 49 0.04 MAX 1200-2400 49
• 09 56 48 53 F, PCPN 1700-1900
• 10 76 52 67 0.01
• 11 79 64 74 F, PCPN 1300-1900
• 12 80 69 71 0.02 PCPN 2100-2200
• 13 71 53 55 0.05 MIN 0000-2400 54, MAX 1200-2400 63
• 14 67 43 60
• 15 67 55 67 F, PCPN 1600-1700, 1900-2400
• 16 72 64 0.24 F, PCPN 1200-1300
• 17 71 63 67 PCPN 1700-1800, 2000-2400
• 18 68 51 52 0.86 T, PCPN 0000-0400, 2200-2400MIN 0000-1200 63
• 19 71 42 57
• 20 74 40 62
• 21 76 53 69
• 22 78 60 73
• 23 73 43 44 PCPN 1500-1700, MIN 0000-1200 68, MAX 1200-2400 72
• 24 48 29 38 0.20
• 25 58 27 53
• 26 71 52 66
• 27 70 50 50 0.01 F, PCPN 0000-0100, MIN 0000-1200 60
• 28 55 35 47
• 29 60 28 51
• 30 69 37 59

NOVEMBER 2003, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:

• 12TH RECORD HIGH MINIMUM 69, PREVIOUS RECORD 67 IN 1922;
• 24TH FIRST FREEZE, GROWING SEASON 238 DAYS, LAST FREEZE MARCH 30, 2003;
• HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 82 ON THE 4TH,
• LOWEST TEMPERATURE 27 ON THE 25TH;
• AVERAGE MAXIMUM 68.6 DEG.,
• AVERAGE MINIMUM 50.3 DEG.;
• AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 59.5 DEG.;
• 2.0 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.
• HEATING DEGREE DAYS 224,
• 88.7 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
• COOLING DEGREE DAYS 56,
• 224 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
• TOTAL PRECIPITATION 1.63 IN.,
• 2.82 IN. LESS THAN NORMAL.
• 36.6 PERCENT OF NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
• YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 40.00 IN.,
• 1 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;
• 6 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS HEAVILY RESTRICTED BY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED;
• 0 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL.
• 10 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED.
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEG.;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEG.;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FAILED TO RISE ABOVE 32 DEG.
• 3 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
• SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,252
• 84.3 PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS:
• 2366 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
• 94.1 PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS:
• PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 46.93 IN.,
• TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 103.4.

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