May 2018 SW Climate Outlook - May Climate Summary
May 21, 2018
Originally published in May issue of CLIMAS Southwest Climate Outlook
After a warm and dry winter (detailed in past issues of the SW Climate Outlook), drought, fire, and poor air quality (dust and pollen) are growing concerns as spring turns to summer. In May, warm temperatures (Fig.1), including triple-digit highs (Fig. 2), are increasingly common, while average precipitation is among the lowest monthly totals for the region (Fig. 3), and additional precipitation is unlikely. At the same time, the winds are picking up due to seasonal transitional conditions (Fig. 4), further increasing fire risk (Figs. 6a-b) and impacting air quality and public safety (e.g. dust storms).
Online Resources
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Figures 1-3 - CLIMAS: Climate Assessment for the Southwest - climas.arizona.edu
- Data: Applied Climate Information System: - rcc-acis.org/
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Figure 4 - CLIMAS: Climate Assessment for the Southwest - climas.arizona.edu
- Data: National Weather Service Tucson - wrh.noaa.gov/twc/
- Figures 5-6 - National Interagency Fire Center - nifc.gov