November very cold, pretty wet

A lot of rain last month, 5.6 inches, and plenty cold: the daily minimum of 31.5 F was 6.5 F below the 22 year century average. That is a huge difference. The daily average, 38.4 F, was 5.6 F below the century average; and the daily high, 46.6 F, was 4 F below that average. Only 2005 was colder, when the daily average was 34.4 F and the daily average high a mere 40.6 F.

Five minimum daily temperature records were set, early, Nov. 2, Nov. 9, then mid-month. Nov. 18-20, at 23.2 F, 23.9 F and 25.1 F, the last of nine frost morning, eight with temperatures below 29.0 F.

It frosted 17 mornings. Only twice was the morning low above 41 degrees.

The high topped 50 degrees six times. Nov 4 was the warmest and wettest day, starting out at 43.1 F, going up to 55 F.

Almost half the month’s 5.6 inches of rain fell that day, 2.4 inches. It rained 3.3 inches Nov. 2-4, then another 0.5 inches Nov. 7-8. That’s 67% of the month’s precipitation the first week. The month ended wet: six days of rain, bringing 1.3 inches.

Rainfall was an inch above the century average but 3.5 inches below last year’s record 8.2 inches, when it rained 24 days.

This year: 17 days it rained.

Five years since 2015 there has been at least 5.6 inches of rain. Ten times since 2011 at least 4.7 inches came down.

Novembers are historically wet in the 21st century. At least 3.5 inches of rain has fallen 16 years. More than four inches of rain fell 12 times. In nine years, over five inches fell and six inches or more has fallen five times.

Five years this century less than 3 inches of rain has fallen. Two of those years were 2019-2020.

The area is still 2.8 inches of rain below average for the year against the century average, 10%, at 25.7 inches.

There is no data for 2003.

Measurements and data are at Washington State University’s Mount Vernon weather station on Memorial Highway.