Phoenix weather: Drought worsens in January

The January 2018 Phoenix weather statistics by themselves aren’t particularly remarkable, but a look at the bigger picture will get your attention. January 2018 was the third warmest ever for Phoenix when you look at the average temperature of 61.2 degrees. Average daily temperature is determined by adding the daily highs and lows and dividing by two. And it was the 34th driest month for the city with just 0.21 inch of rain recorded at Sky Harbor Airport, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix. When you consider that 2017 was the warmest year ever for Phoenix and the city had only 4.96 inches of rain (8.03 is normal), the January 2018 numbers take on additional significance. The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center calls for a 50 percent probability of above-normal temperatures and a 40-percent probability (50 percent in the southeastern corner of the state) of below-normal rain and snowfall for the next three months, so it’s easy to see why there could be cause for concern. Moderate to severe drought across Arizona The most recent map for Arizona from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that the entire state is experiencing…

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