October 2006

Report and Summary

Tyler, Texas
October 2006
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer

The month of October 2006 saw near normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.

The protracted drought continues, despite some relief from rains in September and October. These were not uniform, with counties across the south experiencing flooding from more than 25 inches which fell during the month. Compared with October 2005, the month was 0.4 deg. Cooler and 2.75 inches wetter. Year-to-date rainfall was 5.80 inches greater in 2006 through month's end than in 2005. The thirty-day outlook for October 2006 had called for above normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.

The week October 1-7 saw temperatures about 6 degrees warmer than normal, and no rainfall. Upper air high pressure dominated the region's until a cold front arrived on the 6th. This kept conditions dry, and ran daytime high temperatures up to 10 degrees warmer than normal. The week's average temperature was 77.5 deg., which was 5.6 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 3.1 deg. Warmer, and 0.05 inch drier.

The week October 8-14 saw temperatures about 3 degrees cooler than normal, and near normal rainfall. The front of the 6th introduced a pattern change which resulted in two rain events and a strong cold front. The activity of the 11th was caused by a crossing upper air disturbance. That on the 14th resulted from moist air overrunning a shallow cool air layer behind the front of the 12th. That front lowered temperatures, and brought gusty winds on the 12th. A few stations over the south picked up showers when the front reached there. There were rains of up to three inches over the southern counties on the 11th, with amounts along the Louisiana border only a few hundredths of an inch. The week's average temperature was 65.9 deg., which was 11.6 deg. Lower than the previous week. Rainfall was 1.35 inches. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 3.3 deg. Cooler; there was no rain during the week in 2005.

The week October 15-21 saw near normal temperatures and near normal rainfall. Two storm systems crossed during the week the first on the 15th-16th, and the second on the 19th. Rainfall was heavier with the first, enhanced by a strong moist flow at all levels of the atmosphere. Over the extreme southeast, rainfall of as much as 20 inches fell in the East Texas Lakes Country. Strong warming occurred at mid-week ahead of the storm and cold front of the 19th, which lowered temperatures. The week's average temperature was 66.7 deg., which was 0.8 warmer than the previous week. Rainfall was 1.34 inches. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 3.9 deg. Cooler; there was no rainfall in 2005.

The week October 22-28 saw temperatures about 4 degrees Below normal, and near normal rainfall. Cold fronts on the 22nd and 26th held down temperatures. At mid-week, Tropical Maritime air was in the area which provided moisture for the storm system of the 26th. Again, localized occurrences of heavy rain fell in the southeast where amounts of more than 10 inches occurred at a few stations. There were occurrences of severe weather at a few locations on the evening of the 26th. Blustery conditions came on the 27th as high pressure built into the region. The wee's average temperature was 59.7 deg., and rainfall was 1.21 inches. This was 7.0 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2005, the week was 3.5 deg. Warmer, and there was no rainfall in 2005.

The final three days of the month were dry, with sharp warming on the 30th and 31st ahead of a strong cold front which crossed on Hallowe'en afternoon. There were a few sprinkles over the northeast near Texarkana early that morning.

• 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

R FOLLOWING A TEMPERATURE OR PRECIPITATION VALUE = RECORD;

The reporting period for temperatures, precipitation, 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. 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.

OCTOBER 2006

• 01 92 68 85
• 02 90 69 84
• 03 92 70 84
• 04 92 65 85
• 05 94 64 88
• 06 88 67 78 MX 1200-2400 86
• 07 83 52 71
• 08 84 53 75
• 09 87 57 78
• 10 78 64 67 1.16 PCPN 1300-2000 MX 1200-2400 68
• 11 81 59 73
• 12 73 56 56 MN 0000-1200 61, MX 1200-2400 66
• 13 75 46 66
• 14 74 52 65 0.19 PCPN 1700-1900
• 15 75 60 69 0.10 PCPN 1900-2000, 2200-2400
• 16 73 68 71 1.18 PCPN 0500-0900, 1300-1800
• 17 88 61 78
• 18 88 65 82
• 19 82 51 58 0.06 MX 1200-2400 64
• 20 69 41 61
• 21 80 51 72
• 22 72 43 58 MX 1200-2400 72
• 23 69 38 61
• 24 74 45 68
• 25 68 58 63 1.11 PCPN 1500-2400, MX 1200-2400 63
• 26 84 63 77 0.10 F
• 27 77 55 56 tr. MAX 1200-2400 61
• 28 75 44 61
• 29 78 46 68
• 30 78 58 72
• 31 82 62 62

• OCTOBER 2006, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:
• HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 94 ON THE 5TH,
• LOWEST TEMPERATURE 38 ON THE 23RD;
• AVERAGE MAXIMUM 78.4F,
• AVERAGE MINIMUM 56.5 F.,
• AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 67.5 F.,
• 0.1 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.
• HEATING DEGREE DAYS 76,
• 168.8 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
• COOLING DEGREE DAYS 137,
• 141.1 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
• TOTAL PRECIPITATION 3.90 IN.,
• 1.24 IN. LESS THAN MONTHLY NORMAL.
• 75.9 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION.
• YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 28.13 IN.,
• 7.90 IN. LESS THAN NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION,
• 78.1 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION;
• DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;4
• 1 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.
• 7 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED.
• 5 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.
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
• 76 SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 161.7,
• 2839 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 114.1,
• PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 30.14 IN.,
• TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 66.6.

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