In November, Phoenmix residents may expect temperatures to be somewhat lower than 80 degrees Fahrenheit on most days in the "Valley of the Sun."
Record Breaking Temperatures
Arizonans in Phoenix sweltered in temperatures of 80 degrees or above on 25 separate days in November, the highest the city had ever seen in the month renowned for Thanksgiving rather than heatwaves. During the Truman administration in 1949, a previous record of 24 days was set.
Other parts of the country's western half were similarly affected by the strange weather, with pages of records being rewritten in practically every state. Here is a handful of the most well-known.
The previous Phoenix record was set on November 30, when the city reached an all-time high of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The month began with 22 consecutive days above the freezing point, including three days in a row above 90 degrees.
Related Article: Meteorologists Warn Another Huge Storm May Bring Snow in the East Coast
Blaming High-Pressure Dome
Although climatological statistics said Mother Nature would have shut off the desert space heater by then, a steady setup kept Phoenix toasty all month.
A relentless high-pressure dome, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk, was to blame.
"During November, the dome of high pressure persisted across the whole Southwest, including Phoenix," Houk added. "Any storms, rain, or colder air linked with the jet stream, or storm track, stayed well to the north because of this."
From November 23 to November 27, the month saw five days in the upper 70s, then bounced back beyond the threshold with three more 80-degree days to end the month. The sweltering month continued the city's humid autumn, which began on September 22 with a high of 103 degrees Fahrenheit.
And, as Houk pointed out, the historically hot month wasn't only restricted to Phoenix.
According to Houk, average temperatures in November were 4 degrees or more above normal from the interior of Southern California to New Mexico.
"Although Phoenix did not set any new daily high temperatures this month, it remained persistently warm, with temperatures averaging 5 degrees above usual."
The Suns, who won a franchise-record-tying 17th straight game on Tuesday night and didn't lose a single game in November, were maybe the only thing hotter than the November temperature in Phoenix.
Winter Droughts
Another major Western city, farther north, had a wild November with its record-breaking streak, but for entirely different reasons.
While Phoenix residents couldn't get their thermometers below 80 degrees, Denver residents couldn't get theirs below 32 degrees, resulting in the city's first-ever snowless November. The previous record for the most recent snowfall was established on November 21, 1934.
With no measurable snow since April 22, the city has now gone 223 days without the winter precipitation that its adjacent mountains are known for, as of December 1. The record of 235 days, achieved in 1887, is on the verge of being broken.
La Niña
The lack of snow in November can be ascribed in part to the Pacific jet stream this year, following a La Niña trend and resulting in lower precipitation rates in the region. For surrounding ski resorts, this, along with the consequences of climate change, has meant disaster.
"Our crews will continue to work around the clock taking advantage of conditions prime for snowmaking and opening new terrain and lifts as soon as possible," Loryn Duke, communications direct for Steamboat Spring Ski Resort, told ABC News. "Even though temperatures will continue to be on the warm side (for Steamboat and Colorado)," she said.
Also Read: How the Niña Can Possibly Worsen the Incoming Winter Drought
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