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From below to above average

29 Dec 2011 05:55 AM
The featured chart presents the accumulated average temperature percentile for Ames for December. Each value represents the percentile for the period from the first of the month to that date. After the first 10 days of December, we were near the coldest 25% of years on record. Thanks to our recent stretch of very mild weather, we are now in the warmest 25% of years. The last few days of this year look to be remarkably warm with highs near 50!

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Good: 12
Bad: 2

Tags:   dec11  

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Great way to end the year

28 Dec 2011 05:56 AM
The featured map is of forecasted high temperatures by the National Weather Service for this coming Saturday, the last day of the year. This would end one of the warmest stretches of late December on record. Where has winter gone and does it intend on coming back?

Voting:
Good: 17
Bad: 2

Tags:   dec11  

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Ending year with a warm streak

27 Dec 2011 05:52 AM
The featured chart presents the number of consecutive days with daily high temperature above 40 degrees to end the calendar year for Des Moines. Our current streak has started on the 23rd and the forecast has a good chance of this continuing until this weekend. Today looks to be the most difficult to reach 40. Interesting to note how the past 20 years have seen most of the longest streaks.

Voting:
Good: 22
Bad: 1

Tags:   dec11  

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Warmer and less windy December

21 Dec 2011 05:54 AM
This December has bucked the recent trend of the past four years each having cold starts to the month. The featured chart presents the average temperature and wind speed for the first 20 days of December since 1940. The average wind speed is only slightly greater than the minimum shown on this chart back in 1971. Temperatures will be above normal again today with plenty of warm weather expected in the next seven days.

Voting:
Good: 16
Bad: 1

Tags:   dec11