Printer friendly version

April one of wettest ever in Los Alamos, White Rock

April showers bring May flowers. If the old adage is true, there should be lots of happy gardeners and gardens in Los Alamos and White Rock this month.

More than 3 inches of precipitation was recorded in both towns last month, according to Laboratory meteorologist Scot Johnson of Meteorology and Air Quality (RRES-MAQ). In fact, the 3.08 inches of precipitation measured at the official White Rock measuring station near Pajarito Road and NM 4 was the highest ever recorded since record keeping began in White Rock in 1965. Only 1985’s total of 2.8 inches was comparable, said Johnson.

And in Los Alamos last month, the identical amount of 3.08 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Technical Area 6 measuring station. The figure is the third highest April total in Los Alamos since 1965 and the sixth wettest April since recordkeeping began in 1911. The total also was three times the normal (1.05) for April, and it was more than six times greater than the meager .49 inches of precipitation recorded in Los Alamos in April 2003.

Some of the precipitation in Los Alamos fell in the form of snow. Johnson said 4.4 inches of snow was measured in Los Alamos in April, bringing the season-to-date total to 64.9 inches. The figure is 8 inches greater than normal for season, said Johnson. He added that since Jan. 1, 6.56 inches of precipitation has been recorded in Los Alamos, well ahead of the normal (4.04 inches) through the end of April.

Los Alamos' mean temperature in April was 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 1 degree F below normal, said Johnson. The mean maximum temperature of 56 F was 3 F above normal, he said.

To the east in White Rock in April, the mean maximum temperature of 61 F was 2 F below normal, while the mean and mean minimum temperatures were close to average.

Wind gusts exceeding 40 miles per hour were recorded in Los Alamos on April 15, 17, 22 and 29, including a top speed of 45 mph on April 15.

Wind gusts of 40 miles per hour or greater were recorded April 17, 18, 22, 25 and 29 in White Rock, with a top wind gust of 52 mph on April 17.

The number of days in April during which gusts can be expected to exceed 40 mph is 4.4 in Los Alamos and 3.4 in White Rock. The windiness in April, as measured by average wind speed and average maximum daily gust speed, was about 15 percent windier than normal in Los Alamos and 10 percent windier than normal in White Rock.

“White Rock winds this April were relatively strong by this measure, but average wind speed and average maximum daily gust speed were right about normal in both Los Alamos and White Rock,” said Johnson. “Winds in May and June will probably be similar to April’s and these three months are the windiest of the year.”

The seasonal forecast for May through July across New Mexico is higher than normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.

More information about weather in the region can be found at http://weather.lanl.gov online.

-- Steve Sandoval

Other Headlines