Portsmouth Weather Records Service
 

Local Climatological Data
*Data Are Subject to Correction by PWRS

 Station:  PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA
Month:   MAY Year: 2002
Latitude: 36° 81' N    Longitude: 76° 33' W
Station Elevation: 20 FT 
Standard Time: EASTERN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

 
 
Temperature
Degree Days
Precipitation
 Wind
 Sky
Weather
Date
Max
Min
Mn
Dep
HDD
CDD
Total
Snow
Depth
Avg
Dir
GUST
  
Types
1
72
56
64.0
0
1.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
2.9
S
NE 15
PC
PLEASANT
2
86
63
74.5
+11
 
9.5
1.51
0.0
0.0
6.8
S
W 26
PC
BR HZ 
TSRA +TSRA
3
66
56
61.0
-3
4.0
 
0.09
0.0
0.0
3.6
WSW
N 18
C
SHRA BR FROPA
4
58
53
55.5
-8
9.5
 
0.25
0.0
0.0
4.1
NNE
NNE 18
C
-RA BR
5
62
53
57.5
-6
7.5
 
0.12
0.0
0.0
4.7
N
N 17
PC
-RA BR FROPA
6
72
47
59.5
-6
5.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
2.5
SSE
SSE 12
PC
-BR
7
83
65
74.0
+9
 
9.0
0.74
0.0
0.0
5.4
S
S 22
PC
BR TSRA (2)
8
75
61
68.0
+3
 
3.0
 
0.0
0.0
4.0
NNE
N 19
PC
BR
9
85
61
73.0
+8
 
8.0
1.85
0.0
0.0
2.5
S
N 22
PC
BR TSRA (2) HZ
10
78
68
73.0
+7
 
8.0
0.12
0.0
0.0
2.8
N
N 15
PC
BR SHRA(AM)
11
70
61
65.5
-1
 
0.5
 
0.0
0.0
4.9
NNE
NNE 23
PC
FROPA BREEZY
COOLER DRIER
12
85
61
73.0
+5
 
8.0
 
0.0
0.0
3.8
S
S 20
PC
HZ WARMFROPA
13
87
66
76.5
+9
 
11.5
0.21
0.0
0.0
7.5
S
WSW 37
PC
HZ TSRA FROPA
14
68
56
62.0
-4
3.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
7.6
WSW
WSW 31
PC
BREEZY COOLER
DRY
15
72
52
62.0
-4
3.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
4.4
WSW
NNW 23
SU
QUITE PLEASANT 
DRY
16
80
55
67.5
+1
 
2.5
 
0.0
0.0
5.3
SSE
S 25
-PC
PLEASANT
17
85
66
75.5
+7
 
10.5
 
0.0
0.0
6.2
SSE
S 23
PC
WARM
18
79
55
67.0
-3
 
2.0
0.42
0.0
0.0
8.3
N
S 30
PC
FROPA SHRA
19
60
50
55.0
-14
10.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
5.1
N
N 17
PC
CHILLY
20
64
46
55.0
-13
10.0
 
 
0.0
0.0
3.9
N
N 20
PC
BREEZY COOL
21
61
46
53.5
-15
11.5
 
T
0.0
0.0
3.0
N
N 17
PC
-SHRA
22
65
44
54.5
-14
10.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
3.3
N
N 20
SU
BREEZY COOL
23
71
44
57.5
-12
7.5
 
 
0.0
0.0
2.6
NE
NE 14
SU
COOL
24
85
51
68.0
-3
 
3.0
 
0.0
0.0
2.7
S
WNW 18
SU
PLEASANT
25
76
61
68.5
-2
 
3.5
 
0.0
0.0
3.4
NE
NE 21
SU
FROPA COOLER
26
87
63
75.0
+5
 
10.0
 
0.0
0.0
3.4
SSE
SSW 17
-PC
-BR -HZ WARMFROPA
27
84
66
75.0
+7
 
10.0
 
0.0
0.0
2.7
SSE
SSE 12
SU
-BR
28
81
63
72.0
+4
 
7.0
 
0.0
0.0
0.0
SSE
NNE 11
PC
-BR -HZ
29
81
66
73.5
+3
 
8.5
 
0.0
0.0
2.4
NE
SE 16
SU
-BR
30
82
69
75.5
+4
 
10.5
 
0.0
0.0
2.3
NE
ENE 15
SU
HUMID -BR WARM
31
88
66
77.0
+4
 
12.0
 
0.0
0.0
3.4
SSW
SSW 15
SU
-BR  WARM HUMID

 
Temperature Data
AVERAGE HIGH :  75.7º     DEPARTURE:       - 1.7º
AVERAGE LOW :  57.7º     DEPARTURE:       + 0.1º
MEAN:                66.7º     DEPARTURE:        - 0.8º

HIGHEST: 88° on the 31st
LOWEST: 44º on the 22nd & 23rd

Number of Days:
00 - MAX 100º OR ABOVE
00 - MAX 32º OR BELOW
00 - MAX 90º OR ABOVE
00 - MIN 32º OR BELOW
00 - MIN 0º OR BELOW

Heating Degree Days
TOTAL THIS MONTH:  83.0 from 12 days
SEASONAL TOTAL:   2731.5

Cooling Degree Days
TOTAL THIS MONTH:  137.0 from 19 days
SEASONAL TOTAL:   250.0

NUMBER OF:

02 - Days Cloudy
20 - Days Partly Cloudy
10 - Days Clear or Sunny

14 - Days with Fog/Ground Fog
00 - Days with Dense Fog

00 - Days with Frost

04 - Days with Thunderstorms
08 - Thunderstorms

00 - Days with some type of Snowfall

 Precipitation Data
TOTAL FOR THE MONTH:   5.31"
DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL:    + 1.24" or 130%
GREATEST DAILY: 1.85" on the 9th
GREATEST IN 24-HR PERIOD: 1.97" on the 9th & 10th
AVERAGE DAILY: 0.17"
NORMAL DAILY:   0.13"
# DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION:  9 or 29.03%

MAXIMUM FOR MAY:  8.06" in 1988 -->  (since
MINIMUM FOR  MAY:  1.02" in 1986 -->  1977)
NORMAL FOR  MAY:  4.02" (1977-2001)

Snowfall, Ice Pellets
TOTAL FOR THE MONTH: 0.0"
GREATEST IN 24 HOURS: 0.0" on the --
GREATEST DEPTH ON GROUND: 0.0" on the --
MAY MAX = 0.0" in ----

Number of Days:
WITH 0.01" OR MORE PRECIP: 9
WITH 0.10" OR MORE PRECIP: 8
WITH 0.50" OR MORE PRECIP: 3
WITH 1.00" OR MORE PRECIP: 2

Pressure Data
HIGHEST SEA-LEVEL:  30.448" on the 11th
LOWEST SEA-LEVEL:  29.588" on the 13th

Wind
PEAK WIND GUST: 37 mph from the WSW on the 13th
AVERAGE SPEED:  4.00 mph from a dominant S direction

 
  • MAY STATION RECORDS: 
  • 2nd - Daily precipitation - 1.51" [previously 1.11" 1995]
  • 9th - Daily precipitation -  1.85" [previously 0.54" 1978]
  • 10th - Maximum Minimum Temperature - 68° [previously 63° in 1977]
  • 13th - Maximum Wind Gust - 37 MPH [previously 30 MPH in 1990]
  • 19th - Minimum Temperature - 50° [previously 51° in 1981]
  • 19th - Minimum Maximum Temperature TIED - 60° [previously in 1981] 
  • 20th - Minimum Temperature - 46° [previously 50° in 1981]
  • 21st - Minimum Temperature TIED - 46° [previously in 1981]
  • 21st - Minimum Maximum Temperature - 61° [previously 62° in 1994]
  • 23rd - Minimum Temperature - 44° [previously 47° in 1990]
  • 24th - Minimum Temperature TIED - 51° [previously 1990]
    		•

    YEAR-TO-DATE 2002 through 5/31/02

    Temperature Data
    AVERAGE HIGH :  65.0º   DEPARTURE:   +3.5º
    AVERAGE LOW :  44.8º   DEPARTURE:   + 2.4º
    MEAN:                54.9º   DEPARTURE:   +2.9º

    HIGHEST: 93° on the 17th of April
    LOWEST: 23º on 5th of January & the 5th of March

    Number of Days:
    00 - MAX 100º OR ABOVE
    00 - MAX 32º OR BELOW
    03 - MAX 90º OR ABOVE
    36 - MIN 32º OR BELOW
    00 - MIN 0º OR BELOW

    Heating Degree Days
    TOTAL:  1774.5

    Cooling Degree Days
    TOTAL:  250.0

    NUMBER OF:

    016 - Days Cloudy
    099-  Days Partly Cloudy
    036 - Days Clear or Sunny

    070 - Days with Fog/Ground Fog
    003 - Days with Dense Fog

    12 - Days with Frost

    15 - Days with Thunderstorms
    25 - Thunderstorms

    04 - Days with some type of Snowfall

    		 Precipitation Data
    TOTAL:  19.90"
    DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL:   + 0.82" or 104%
    GREATEST DAILY: 1.85" on the 9th of May
    GREATEST IN 24-HR PERIOD: 1.97" on the 9th & 10th of May
    AVERAGE DAILY: 0.13"
    NORMAL DAILY: 0.13"
    # DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION:  50 or 33.11%

    MAXIMUM:  5.49" in March
    MINIMUM:   1.63" in February

    Snowfall, Ice Pellets
    TOTAL: 9.2"
    GREATEST IN 24 HOURS: 9.0" on January 2nd - 3rd
    GREATEST DEPTH ON GROUND: 9.0" on January 3rd

    Number of Days:

    WITH 0.01" OR MORE PRECIP: 50
    WITH 0.10" OR MORE PRECIP: 35
    WITH 0.50" OR MORE PRECIP: 14
    WITH 1.00" OR MORE PRECIP: 06

    Pressure Data
    HIGHEST SEA-LEVEL: 30.601" on March 1st
    LOWEST SEA-LEVEL:  29.450" on January 6th

     
    PWRS DENOTATIONS: SU/CL = Clear sky; PC = Partly cloudy sky; C = cloudy sky; NA, not available; NR, not recorded; TEMP, temperature; MAX, maximum; MIN, minimum; T, trace of precipitation; INOP, inoper- ative equipment; MPH, miles per hour; DN, departure from normal; DEP, departure; YR, year; NORM, normal; DST LTG, distant lightning; FROP or FROPA, frontal passage; AM morning; AFT afternoon hours; EVE evening hours; PM evening hours; E estimated; VBL, variable wind directions; TS, tropical storm;

    METAR DENOTATIONS


    BC   Patches
    BL   Blowing 
    BR   Fog with visibilites > 5/8 but <=6 statute miles and
    below to 5/8 mile
    DU   Dust (widespread)
    DS   Duststorm
    DZ   Drizzle
    FC   Funnel Cloud
    FC+  Tornado/waterspout
    FG   Fog with visibility <= 5/8 statute miles
    FU   Smoke 
    FZDZ Freezing drizzle
    FZRA Freezing rain
    FZFG Freezing fog
    GR   Hail
    GS   Small hail
    HZ   Haze
    IC   Ice crystals 
    PL   Ice pellets
    PY   Spray
    RA   Rain
    SA   Sand
    SS   Sandstorm
    PO   Sand or dust whirls
    SG   Snow granules    		 SH   Shower 
    SHRA Shower of rain
    SHSN Shower of snow
    SHPE Shower of ice pellets
    SHGR Shower with hail
    SHGS Shower with small hail
    SM   Statute miles
    SN   Snow
    SQ   Squalls
    TS   Thunderstorm
    TSGR Thunderstorm with hail
    TSGS Thunderstorm with small hail
    TSPE Thunderstorm with ice pellets
    TSRA Thunderstorm with rain
    TSSN Thunderstorm with snow
    UP   Unknown precipitation
    VA   Volcanic ash
    VC   Vicinity
    V V   Used for obscurred sky

    METAR Qualifiers: (now placed in FRONT of code)

    -  Light     + Heavy      DR Low drifting    M  Below ( -x.x degrees)
                                           MI Shallow     PR Partial