**December 2007 NC Weather Review**

**Monthly Headlines**

...Rainfall returned to near normal amounts late in December 2007...

...However, extreme to exceptional drought conditions persisted...

\...Temperatures were well above normal...

**December 2007 Precipitation**

Significant rains finally returned across North Carolina during late
December, after the record dry conditions of November. The final
December rainfall totals (enhanced by the heavy rain in the last week of
the month) were generally in excess of 4 inches, with some areas of the
Mountains, Sandhills, and Coastal Plain reporting between 5 to 7 inches.
These totals were generally 100 to 120 percent of the 30 year normal.
Raleigh-Durham tallied 4.45 inches (1.41 inches above normal), after
only recording 0.48 of an inch during November. Greensboro totaled 3.19
inches in December (0.13 inches above normal), after only receiving 0.84
of an inch in November.

There were a few locations that reported rainfall totals that were below
normal for December. These locations included the Elizabeth City and
Wilmington areas. Elizabeth City reported only 2.17 inches of rain,
which was 0.89 inches below normal. Wilmington reported 3.05 inches,
which was 0.73 inches below normal.

The December 2007 Radar derived rainfall totals are depicted in figure
1, while the observed rainfall totals and departures from normal for
selected locations are depicted in figure 2.

![](media/image1.png){width="5.751388888888889in"
height="3.689583333333333in"}

**Figure 1. Total reported rainfall for December 2007. Plotted data was
recorded by National Weather Service observation systems or cooperative
observers.**

![](media/image2.wmf){width="5.583333333333333in"
height="3.8020833333333335in"}

**Figure 2. Comparison of observed and normal precipitation for December
2007 at selected locations across North Carolina.**

The rainfall late in December was very beneficial in bringing short term
relief to a very dry state. The rains also allowed the state's drought
status to remain relatively unchanged and not worsen further. This was
great news following the record dry November and the very dry start to
December.

Even with the significant rains late in December, much of the state
still remained in the two worst possible drought categories (extreme or
exceptional) at month's end. The stream flows into main stem rivers and
local reservoirs did show some slight increase from the historical
record lows that were set in mid December. The North Carolina Drought
Monitor, shown in figure 3, highlights the continued extreme to
exceptional drought conditions throughout the state as of January 1,
2008.

![](media/image3.png){width="5.354861111111111in"
height="3.4902777777777776in"}**\
**

**Figure 3. N.C. Drought Monitor observed on January 1, 2008.**

**December 2007 Temperatures**

Likely driven by the ongoing moderate to strong La Nina conditions in
the equatorial Pacific, December 2007 was one of the warmest on record
across North Carolina. The statewide monthly mean December temperatures
ranged from 2.9 degrees above normal at Elizabeth City (in the northern
Coastal Area), to as much as 6 degrees above normal over the interior
Piedmont.

Raleigh-Durham averaged 48.5 degrees for December 2007 which was 5.5
degrees above normal. This made it the 4^th^ warmest December on record.
Records have been kept at Raleigh-Durham since 1944. Daily record high
temperatures of 81 degrees on the 10^th^, 74 degrees on the 11^th^, 79
degrees on the 12^th^, and 76 degrees on the 13^th^ were recorded this
month. Similarly, Greensboro averaged 47.0 degrees in December, which
was 6 degrees above normal. This was warm enough to be the 4^th^ warmest
December on record at Greensboro, where records have been kept since
1928. Daily record high temperatures of 78 degrees on the 10^th^, 78
degrees on the 11^th^, 77 degrees on the 12^th^, and 73 degrees on the
13^th^ were established this month.

The average monthly temperatures for the entire state are shown in
figure 4, while figures 5 and 6 depict the daily maximum and minimum
temperatures observed throughout December 2007 at Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
and Greensboro (GSO), respectively.

![](media/image4.png){width="6.989583333333333in" height="3.15625in"}

**Figure 4. Monthly average temperatures for December 2007.**

![](media/image5.wmf){width="5.53125in" height="3.2604166666666665in"}

**Figure 5. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures observed during
December 2007 at Raleigh-Durham (RDU).**

![](media/image6.wmf){width="5.375in" height="3.2604166666666665in"}

**Figure 6. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures observed during
December 2007 at Greensboro (GSO).**

**Current, Semi-Annual and Annual Temperature Trends**

The record setting warmth in December continued the recent trend of
record setting warmth across North Carolina since August 2007. Four of
the past five months have brought either record setting, or near record
setting warmth. Only November 2007 had temperatures that were close to
normal. This was the fifth straight month of above normal temperatures
at GSO.

Nine of the past ten months, and eleven of the past thirteen months have
been warmer than normal at Greensboro (see figure 6). Raleigh-Durham has
been warmer than normal in eight of ten, and ten of the past thirteen
months (figure 7).

![](media/image7.wmf){width="5.59375in" height="3.59375in"}

**Figure 7. Monthly temperature departures from normal at Raleigh-Durham
and Greensboro from December 2006 through December 2007.**

**Current, Semi-Annual, and Annual Precipitation Trends**

Even with the above normal rainfall recorded at Raleigh-Durham in
December, three of the past five, and seven of the past twelve months
have been drier than normal. The rainfall deficit at RDU during 2007
ended at 7.24 inches. At Greensboro, six of the past eight, and ten of
the past fourteen months have been drier than normal. The rainfall
deficit at Greensboro for 2007 was 10.67 inches. Figures 8 and 9 show
the monthly precipitation versus normal at Raleigh-Durham and
Greensboro, respectively, during the past 13 months.

![](media/image8.wmf){width="5.416666666666667in"
height="3.8645833333333335in"}

**Figure 8. Semi-annual and annual precipitation trends at
Raleigh-Durham (RDU).**

![](media/image9.wmf){width="5.447916666666667in"
height="3.3645833333333335in"}

**Figure 9. Semi-annual and annual precipitation trends at Greensboro
(GSO).**

**North Carolina Water Resources Information and Outlook**

The drought status essentially remained unchanged at the end of December
2007. Extreme to exceptional drought conditions remained over much of
the interior section of North Carolina on December 31^st^. Such drought
conditions continue to impact the major metropolitan areas of Charlotte,
Winston-Salem-Greensboro-High Point, and Raleigh-Durham.

However, the increase in rainfall during late December allowed the
stream and even main stem river levels over central North Carolina to
show slight rises. There was even enough rainfall to increase the stream
and river flow into Jordan and Falls Lakes, the water suppliers for
Raleigh, Cary, and surrounding municipalities.

Falls Lake, after falling to the all-time record low of 241.53 feet on
December 25, 2007 showed a slight rise of nearly 2 feet by December 31.

![](media/image10.wmf){width="7.127777777777778in"
height="5.249305555555556in"}

**Figure 10. Falls Lake level from December 1^st^ through December
31^st^. Note the all time record low of 241.53 feet was set on December
25, 2007. A late month rain event helped increase the lake level during
the last couple of days of the month.**

For the latest information concerning the drought, visit:

<http://www.ncwater.org/drought/>

**Climate Outlook for the spring 2008**

The winter and early spring seasons are typically when streams, rivers,
and reservoirs are replenished by the cool season rains. The outlook for
the remainder of this winter into the spring season is not as promising
as most, as strong La Nina conditions over the Equatorial Pacific
historically have brought sub par or below normal rainfall amounts
throughout the southeastern United States including North Carolina.
Therefore, there are increased odds that our region will experience
below normal rainfall amounts in January, and in the 90 day period of
January through March 2008.

On bit of brighter news, the odds for below normal rainfall are forecast
to decrease as we move into spring and summer 2008. The affects of La
Nina on the weather patterns across North America are typically much
less in the warm season.

You can keep up with latest monthly and seasonal forecasts by visiting
the Climate Prediction Center website at
<http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/>.

Enhanced local three month temperature outlooks are now available at
<http://www.weather.gov/climate/calendar_outlook.php?wfo=rah>

**NC Weather Review Team**

Phillip Badgett

Brandon Dunstan

Barrett Smith