Wet and wild weather in 2012

The year just passed is described by forecasters at the National Weather Service as “wet, cool bookends with a warm, dry period in the middle.” It was one of the wettest years on record in Western Washington, with wild temperature swings to boot. Here’s a look at some of the data compiled at the forecast office in Seattle. It was soggy overall, and yet the summer was bone dry — the driest on record at Sea-Tac Airport.

At the Weather Service office at Sand Point in north Seattle, there was no measureable precipitation from July 24 through Sept. 9 — 48 days without rain, just a few short of a 61-year-old record.

But by late fall and winter, Western Washington was getting drenched, and the year ended with 46.91 inches of measured precipitation, almost 10 inches more than usual.

Looking at the wild swings from the historically normal temperatures on so many given days in 2012, it would be easy to conclude that our climate has gone haywire. Eleven high temperature records were set or tied, and there were 14 record-low dates.

But consider that the average of the year’s daily average temperatures was 53 degrees Farenheit. What’s the historical normal average overall temperature for a year of Puget Sound weather? It’s 52.9 degrees.

Source For All Data: National Weather Service, Seattle forecast office

More weather data online

National Weather Service, Seattle: www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew

University of Washington Department of Atmospheric Sciences: www.atmos.washington.edu/data/data.php?loc=local

Office of the Washington State Climatologist: www.climate.washington.edu

2012, day by day

Date Maximum temp. (F) Minimum temp. (F) Average temp. (F) Departure from normal Normal average temp. (F) Precip. (inches)
Jan. 1 56 37 47 6 41 0.00
Jan. 2 50 35 43 2 41 0.46
Jan. 3 53 43 48 7 41 0.02
Jan. 4 53 39 46 5 41 0.65
Jan. 5 49 39 44 3 41 0.04
Jan. 6 42 38 40 -1 41 0.05
Jan. 7 45 39 42 1 41 Trace
Jan. 8 51 40 46 4 42 0.00
Jan. 9 50 42 46 4 42 0.11
Jan. 10 47 34 41 -1 42 Trace
Jan. 11 45 31 38 -4 42 0.00
Jan. 12 44 31 38 -4 42 0.00
Jan. 13 41 28 35 -7 42 0.00
Jan. 14 42 33 38 -4 42 0.31
Jan. 15 36 26 31 -11 42 0.30
Jan. 16 36 29 33 -9 42 0.02
Jan. 17 37 32 35 -7 42 0.25
Jan. 18 33 27 30 -12 42 0.35
Jan. 19 29 27 28 -14 42 0.50
Jan. 20 43 29 36 -6 42 0.54
Jan. 21 46 39 43 0 43 0.10
Jan. 22 44 38 41 -2 43 0.21
Jan. 23 49 36 43 0 43 0.00
Jan. 24 53 36 45 2 43 0.23
Jan. 25 49 41 45 2 43 0.22
Jan. 26 48 31 40 -3 43 0.27
Jan. 27 46 29 38 -5 43 0.00
Jan. 28 45 33 39 -4 43 Trace
Jan. 29 49 41 45 2 43 0.49
Jan. 30 48 44 46 3 43 0.11
Jan. 31 51 43 47 4 43 0.03
Feb. 1 48 39 44 1 43 0.46
Feb. 2 48 37 43 0 43 0.00
Feb. 3 62 38 50 7 43 0.00
Feb. 4 62 34 48 5 43 0.00
Feb. 5 55 34 45 2 43 0.00
Feb. 6 62 37 50 7 43 0.00
Feb. 7 62 38 50 7 43 Trace
Feb. 8 50 41 46 3 43 0.09
Feb. 9 50 43 47 4 43 0.12
Feb. 10 55 43 49 6 43 0.06
Feb. 11 49 43 46 3 43 0.01
Feb. 12 49 42 46 3 43 0.02
Feb. 13 46 42 44 1 43 0.21
Feb. 14 43 34 39 -4 43 0.06
Feb. 15 48 35 42 -1 43 0.00
Feb. 16 46 38 42 -1 43 0.07
Feb. 17 49 41 45 2 43 0.37
Feb. 18 46 40 43 -1 44 0.24
Feb. 19 46 36 41 -3 44 0.01
Feb. 20 46 35 41 -3 44 0.14
Feb. 21 51 46 49 5 44 0.23
Feb. 22 54 41 48 4 44 0.05
Feb. 23 48 39 44 0 44 0.00
Feb. 24 45 41 43 -1 44 0.33
Feb. 25 45 36 41 -3 44 0.43
Feb. 26 44 33 39 -5 44 Trace
Feb. 27 46 29 38 -6 44 0.00
Feb. 28 47 30 39 -5 44 0.22
Feb. 29 43 35 39 -5 44 0.09
March 1 47 37 42 -2 44 0.02
March 2 45 40 43 -2 45 0.12
March 3 58 44 51 6 45 Trace
March 4 53 46 50 5 45 Trace
March 5 47 33 40 -5 45 0.13
March 6 44 34 39 -6 45 0.02
March 7 47 31 39 -6 45 0.00
March 8 58 33 46 1 45 0.00
March 9 50 44 47 1 46 0.28
March 10 47 43 45 -1 46 0.34
March 11 46 38 42 -4 46 0.21
March 12 45 36 41 -5 46 0.78
March 13 43 35 39 -7 46 0.18
March 14 45 34 40 -6 46 0.40
March 15 53 43 48 2 46 0.85
March 16 52 41 47 0 47 0.12
March 17 49 35 42 -5 47 0.23
March 18 43 35 39 -8 47 0.19
March 19 48 33 41 -6 47 0.05
March 20 49 38 44 -3 47 0.06
March 21 51 37 44 -3 47 0.04
March 22 52 37 45 -2 47 0.13
March 23 57 33 45 -3 48 0.00
March 24 59 38 49 1 48 0.00
March 25 57 36 47 -1 48 0.00
March 26 55 44 50 2 48 0.01
March 27 60 43 52 4 48 0.10
March 28 53 44 49 1 48 0.11
March 29 49 44 47 -1 48 1.04
March 30 52 40 46 -2 48 0.10
March 31 49 39 44 -4 48 0.45
April 1 51 43 47 -2 49 0.02
April 2 64 43 54 5 49 0.00
April 3 53 40 47 -2 49 0.10
April 4 53 38 46 -3 49 Trace
April 5 51 39 45 -4 49 0.08
April 6 54 40 47 -2 49 0.04
April 7 59 36 48 -1 49 0.00
April 8 70 44 57 8 49 0.00
April 9 67 42 55 5 50 0.00
April 10 66 46 56 6 50 0.00
April 11 54 45 50 0 50 0.26
April 12 62 42 52 2 50 0.00
April 13 57 39 48 -2 50 0.00
April 14 62 38 50 0 50 0.00
April 15 60 46 53 3 50 0.00
April 16 59 46 53 3 50 0.18
April 17 53 40 47 -4 51 0.05
April 18 59 46 53 2 51 0.06
April 19 56 41 49 -2 51 0.24
April 20 58 45 52 1 51 0.28
April 21 69 42 56 5 51 0.00
April 22 70 48 59 8 51 0.00
April 23 66 49 58 6 52 0.00
April 24 58 49 54 2 52 0.04
April 25 61 50 56 4 52 0.47
April 26 59 45 52 0 52 0.20
April 27 59 45 52 0 52 Trace
April 28 63 47 55 3 52 Trace
April 29 62 48 55 2 53 0.12
April 30 58 46 52 -1 53 0.17
May 1 57 43 50 -3 53 0.38
May 2 58 43 51 -2 53 0.02
May 3 53 46 50 -3 53 0.67
May 4 54 44 49 -5 54 0.31
May 5 57 43 50 -4 54 0.00
May 6 61 41 51 -3 54 0.00
May 7 74 44 59 5 54 0.00
May 8 67 48 58 4 54 0.00
May 9 54 44 49 -6 55 0.02
May 10 56 37 47 -8 55 0.00
May 11 61 41 51 -4 55 0.00
May 12 69 44 57 2 55 0.00
May 13 72 47 60 4 56 0.00
May 14 74 49 62 6 56 0.00
May 15 74 50 62 6 56 0.00
May 16 68 50 59 3 56 0.00
May 17 64 46 55 -1 56 0.00
May 18 60 46 53 -3 56 0.00
May 19 66 44 55 -2 57 0.00
May 20 59 54 57 0 57 0.19
May 21 61 53 57 0 57 0.58
May 22 57 50 54 -3 57 0.14
May 23 61 48 55 -3 58 0.16
May 24 61 47 54 -4 58 0.24
May 25 70 49 60 2 58 Trace
May 26 75 48 62 4 58 0.00
May 27 65 54 60 2 58 Trace
May 28 64 52 58 0 58 0.01
May 29 62 49 56 -2 58 0.01
May 30 68 52 60 1 59 0.02
May 31 62 55 59 0 59 0.12
June 1 72 54 63 4 59 0.12
June 2 67 53 60 1 59 0.01
June 3 63 50 57 -2 59 0.00
June 4 55 49 52 -7 59 0.04
June 5 56 48 52 -8 60 0.90
June 6 62 47 55 -5 60 0.01
June 7 61 49 55 -5 60 0.53
June 8 62 48 55 -5 60 0.06
June 9 63 49 56 -4 60 Trace
June 10 67 52 60 0 60 0.00
June 11 76 51 64 4 60 Trace
June 12 65 56 61 1 60 0.02
June 13 59 52 56 -5 61 0.01
June 14 60 51 56 -5 61 0.00
June 15 72 47 60 -1 61 0.00
June 16 72 60 66 5 61 0.03
June 17 69 55 62 1 61 0.00
June 18 62 50 56 -5 61 0.24
June 19 67 51 59 -2 61 Trace
June 20 71 48 60 -2 62 0.00
June 21 71 53 62 0 62 0.00
June 22 58 52 55 -7 62 0.91
June 23 62 52 57 -5 62 0.30
June 24 68 49 59 -3 62 0.00
June 25 67 51 59 -3 62 Trace
June 26 61 53 57 -6 63 0.09
June 27 71 48 60 -3 63 0.00
June 28 75 51 63 0 63 Trace
June 29 73 59 66 3 63 0.03
June 30 70 57 64 1 63 0.09
July 1 66 54 60 -4 64 0.06
July 2 67 54 61 -3 64 0.10
July 3 63 54 59 -5 64 0.58
July 4 69 51 60 -4 64 0.00
July 5 74 49 62 -2 64 0.00
July 6 75 53 64 0 64 0.00
July 7 77 55 66 1 65 0.00
July 8 78 56 67 2 65 0.00
July 9 78 58 68 3 65 Trace
July 10 75 55 65 0 65 0.00
July 11 78 57 68 3 65 0.00
July 12 81 58 70 4 66 0.00
July 13 71 59 65 -1 66 0.12
July 14 77 60 69 3 66 Trace
July 15 68 56 62 -4 66 Trace
July 16 77 56 67 1 66 Trace
July 17 73 62 68 2 66 0.06
July 18 70 60 65 -1 66 0.00
July 19 75 60 68 2 66 0.00
July 20 70 59 65 -2 67 0.72
July 21 77 60 69 2 67 0.00
July 22 68 55 62 -5 67 0.03
July 23 67 54 61 -6 67 0.03
July 24 70 54 62 -5 67 0.00
July 25 78 54 66 -1 67 0.00
July 26 81 59 70 3 67 0.00
July 27 66 57 62 -5 67 0.00
July 28 72 55 64 -3 67 0.00
July 29 75 57 66 -1 67 0.00
July 30 68 57 63 -4 67 0.00
July 31 74 57 66 -1 67 0.00
Aug. 1 75 53 64 -3 67 0.00
Aug. 2 72 56 64 -3 67 0.00
Aug. 3 79 56 68 1 67 0.00
Aug. 4 90 62 76 9 67 0.00
Aug. 5 90 63 77 10 67 0.00
Aug. 6 82 62 72 5 67 0.00
Aug. 7 70 59 65 -2 67 0.00
Aug. 8 74 60 67 0 67 0.00
Aug. 9 76 58 67 0 67 0.00
Aug. 10 76 56 66 -1 67 0.00
Aug. 11 81 58 70 3 67 0.00
Aug. 12 84 60 72 5 67 0.00
Aug. 13 84 60 72 5 67 0.00
Aug. 14 81 60 71 4 67 0.00
Aug. 15 85 60 73 6 67 0.00
Aug. 16 91 62 77 10 67 0.00
Aug. 17 91 60 76 9 67 0.00
Aug. 18 73 59 66 -1 67 0.00
Aug. 19 74 61 68 2 66 0.00
Aug. 20 79 59 69 3 66 0.00
Aug. 21 73 56 65 -1 66 0.00
Aug. 22 72 59 66 0 66 0.00
Aug. 23 69 57 63 -3 66 0.00
Aug. 24 71 50 61 -5 66 0.00
Aug. 25 76 53 65 -1 66 0.00
Aug. 26 74 55 65 -1 66 0.00
Aug. 27 76 54 65 -1 66 0.00
Aug. 28 76 55 66 1 65 0.00
Aug. 29 74 57 66 1 65 0.00
Aug. 30 73 55 64 -1 65 0.00
Aug. 31 72 49 61 -4 65 0.00
Sept. 1 74 49 62 -3 65 0.00
Sept. 2 72 50 61 -4 65 0.00
Sept. 3 73 55 64 0 64 0.00
Sept. 4 76 52 64 0 64 0.00
Sept. 5 78 53 66 2 64 0.00
Sept. 6 79 58 69 5 64 0.00
Sept. 7 86 56 71 7 64 0.00
Sept. 8 83 55 69 6 63 0.00
Sept. 9 67 59 63 0 63 0.00
Sept. 10 68 53 61 -2 63 0.24
Sept. 11 66 49 58 -5 63 0.00
Sept. 12 70 48 59 -4 63 0.00
Sept. 13 79 52 66 4 62 0.00
Sept. 14 78 51 65 3 62 0.00
Sept. 15 74 51 63 1 62 0.00
Sept. 16 76 50 63 1 62 0.00
Sept. 17 81 54 68 7 61 0.00
Sept. 18 83 54 69 8 61 0.00
Sept. 19 75 52 64 3 61 0.00
Sept. 20 72 51 62 1 61 0.00
Sept. 21 62 56 59 -1 60 Trace
Sept. 22 67 54 61 1 60 Trace
Sept. 23 69 50 60 0 60 0.00
Sept. 24 69 52 61 1 60 0.00
Sept. 25 68 54 61 2 59 0.00
Sept. 26 68 49 59 0 59 0.00
Sept. 27 74 49 62 3 59 0.00
Sept. 28 74 55 65 7 58 Trace
Sept. 29 69 53 61 3 58 0.00
Sept. 30 69 47 58 0 58 0.00
Oct. 1 76 49 63 5 58 0.00
Oct. 2 64 49 57 0 57 0.00
Oct. 3 65 44 55 -2 57 0.00
Oct. 4 65 45 55 -2 57 0.00
Oct. 5 70 45 58 2 56 0.00
Oct. 6 72 48 60 4 56 0.00
Oct. 7 74 46 60 4 56 0.00
Oct. 8 70 43 57 2 55 0.00
Oct. 9 61 48 55 0 55 0.00
Oct. 10 56 45 51 -4 55 0.00
Oct. 11 59 45 52 -3 55 0.00
Oct. 12 57 47 52 -2 54 0.10
Oct. 13 61 55 58 4 54 0.20
Oct. 14 64 59 62 8 54 0.38
Oct. 15 63 53 58 5 53 0.22
Oct. 16 64 49 57 4 53 0.00
Oct. 17 60 42 51 -2 53 0.00
Oct. 18 64 45 55 2 53 0.67
Oct. 19 59 47 53 1 52 0.22
Oct. 20 52 44 48 -4 52 0.02
Oct. 21 55 42 49 -3 52 0.17
Oct. 22 46 41 44 -8 52 0.34
Oct. 23 55 44 50 -1 51 0.01
Oct. 24 55 44 50 -1 51 0.13
Oct. 25 53 44 49 -2 51 0.02
Oct. 26 53 48 51 0 51 0.09
Oct. 27 59 49 54 4 50 0.49
Oct. 28 60 51 56 6 50 0.25
Oct. 29 64 51 58 8 50 0.37
Oct. 30 59 54 57 7 50 1.20
Oct. 31 60 52 56 6 50 0.89
Nov. 1 58 52 55 6 49 0.38
Nov. 2 59 49 54 5 49 0.16
Nov. 3 59 53 56 7 49 0.04
Nov. 4 63 53 58 9 49 0.36
Nov. 5 59 47 53 5 48 0.02
Nov. 6 57 43 50 2 48 0.02
Nov. 7 55 42 49 1 48 0.00
Nov. 8 50 36 43 -5 48 0.00
Nov. 9 48 32 40 -8 48 0.00
Nov. 10 47 33 40 -7 47 0.00
Nov. 11 48 33 41 -6 47 0.45
Nov. 12 53 44 49 2 47 0.10
Nov. 13 53 48 51 4 47 0.36
Nov. 14 54 41 48 2 46 0.01
Nov. 15 53 38 46 0 46 0.00
Nov. 16 48 38 43 -3 46 0.30
Nov. 17 56 44 50 4 46 0.19
Nov. 18 50 44 47 1 46 0.57
Nov. 19 55 47 51 6 45 2.60
Nov. 20 52 43 48 3 45 0.31
Nov. 21 47 42 45 0 45 0.43
Nov. 22 48 39 44 -1 45 Trace
Nov. 23 49 44 47 2 45 1.11
Nov. 24 52 41 47 3 44 0.04
Nov. 25 49 35 42 -2 44 0.00
Nov. 26 51 35 43 -1 44 0.00
Nov. 27 51 35 43 -1 44 0.00
Nov. 28 49 39 44 0 44 0.12
Nov. 29 53 46 50 7 43 0.15
Nov. 30 56 45 51 8 43 1.45
Dec. 1 56 47 52 9 43 0.32
Dec. 2 49 45 47 4 43 0.62
Dec. 3 50 45 48 6 42 0.32
Dec. 4 54 46 50 8 42 0.57
Dec. 5 48 42 45 3 42 0.00
Dec. 6 46 43 45 3 42 0.03
Dec. 7 47 40 44 2 42 0.03
Dec. 8 43 38 41 -1 42 0.04
Dec. 9 43 38 41 0 41 0.15
Dec. 10 45 42 44 3 41 0.00
Dec. 11 46 43 45 4 41 0.15
Dec. 12 44 41 43 2 41 0.35
Dec. 13 45 40 43 2 41 0.24
Dec. 14 45 35 40 -1 41 0.30
Dec. 15 41 34 38 -3 41 0.17
Dec. 16 46 39 43 2 41 0.63
Dec. 17 47 38 43 2 41 0.15
Dec. 18 40 35 38 -3 41 0.03
Dec. 19 46 34 40 0 40 0.98
Dec. 20 45 35 40 0 40 0.53
Dec. 21 47 32 40 0 40 0.06
Dec. 22 47 39 43 3 40 0.08
Dec. 23 46 38 42 2 40 0.33
Dec. 24 44 39 42 2 40 0.05
Dec. 25 44 38 41 1 40 0.34
Dec. 26 45 39 42 2 40 0.33
Dec. 27 44 41 43 2 41 0.12
Dec. 28 49 40 45 4 41 0.01
Dec. 29 41 38 40 -1 41 0.10
Dec. 30 40 32 36 -5 41 0.00
Dec. 31 39 32 36 -5 41 0.00
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