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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Medford OR
1217 PM PST Sun Jan 5 2025

...MEDFORD OREGON WEATHER REVIEW: December 2024...

December 2024 was a very active month, but you would have never
thought so with the way it started. Strong high pressure was a
persistent feature over the Pacific Northwest through the first
third of the month. This resulted in strong, persistent valley
inversions, stagnant air, and multiple days in a row of persistent
fog and cold temperatures in the Rogue Valley. The coldest high
temperature of the month occurred on the 1st when high temperatures
only reached 32 degrees. This challenged the recorded for the
coldest low maximum that day which is 31 degrees set in 1963 and
1956. Temperatures moderated some thereafter, but still remained
below normal. A few weak systems moved through the region during
this time, disrupting the fog pattern, but a more notable change
arrived around the middle of the month.

Some stronger storms arrived from the 13th to the 15th, bringing
strong winds to the region and additional rounds of precipitation to
the Rogue Valley. After another break in the weather through the
20th, the storm door swung wide open and a parade of very wet
Pacific storms passed through the region during the remainder of the
month. Of the remaining 11 days of the month, precipitation was
measured at the Medford Airport for 10 of those day, with over 0.25"
recorded on 7 of those days. The strongest of these storms in terms
of strong winds arrived on the 21st when south winds gusted to 57
mph at the Medford Airport. The wettest of these systems arrived on
the 23rd-24th when over 1.5 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. Another
period of significant rainfall occurred on the 27th-29th where the
three day total added up to 1.84 inches. Snow levels were fairly
high for most of these systems, at least 5000 ft or higher, so much
of this water made it into the river systems. There was plenty
standing water, overflowing ditches and ponds in places that are
normally dry. Additionally, many of the mainstem rivers reached
bankfull while a handful of the river points reached minor/moderate
flooding.

Needless to say, the month ended with above normal precipitation,
and despite the cold start to the month, the warmer weather systems
resulted in warmer than normal monthly average temperature. Though
there was significant rainfall in the region during the month of
December, amounts around various locations remained well below the
historic floods of 1964 and 1996. In fact, December 2024
precipitation totals rank as the 19th wettest on record whereas
December 1964 is the 1st wettest and December 1996 is the 2nd
wettest.

The average temperature for the month was 41.9 degrees, which is
2.5 degrees above normal. The average maximum temperature was 49.5
degrees, which is 3.4 degrees above normal. The average minimum
temperature was 34.2 degrees, which is 1.6 degrees above normal.
The highest temperature for the month was 64 degrees which
occurred on the 21st. The lowest temperature for the month was 19
degrees which occurred on the 10th.

There were 2 clear days, 14 partly cloudy days, and 15 cloudy
days.

Total precipitation for the month was 5.27 inches which is 1.74
inches above normal. Total precipitation for the water year
(beginning October 1st) is 10.74 inches which is 3.38 inches above
normal. Calendar year precipitation is 22.91 inches which is 4.48
inches above normal.

The average wind speed for the month was 2.9 mph. The fastest
recorded two-minute wind speed was 40 mph from the south which
occurred on the 21st. The peak wind was 57 mph from the south
which occurred on the 21st.

The highest pressure for the month was 30.49 inches on the 9th.
The lowest pressure for the month was 29.51 inches on the 27th.

$$

MNF