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2021 ended very cold — but December overall was warmer than average in Bend, Prineville

Bend Airport (top), Prineville Airport (bottom) temperatures and precipitation during December 2021
NWS-Pendleton
Bend Airport (top), Prineville Airport (bottom) temperatures and precipitation during December 2021

 BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend and much of the High Desert ended 2021 with a bone-chilling cold night, but the last month of the year overall was warmer than normal, the National Weather Service said Saturday in its monthly summaries of temperatures and precipitation.

According to preliminary data received by the NWS in Pendleton, temperatures at the Bend and Prineville airports averaged warmer than normal during the month of December.

 Bend's average temperature was 34.5 degrees, which was 3.4 degrees above normal. High temperatures averaged 43 degrees, which was 3.6 degrees above normal. The highest reading was 68 degrees on the 2nd. Low temperatures averaged 26 degrees, which was 3.3 degrees above normal. The lowest was 8 degrees, on the 30th.

Bend had 22 December days with the low temperature below freezing, while there were three days when the high stayed below 32 degrees.

Precipitation in Bend last month totaled 1.90 inches during December, which was 0.30 inches below normal. Measurable precipitation -a t least .01 inch - was received on 17 days, with the heaviest, 0.79 inches, reported on the 12th.

 Bend's total precipitation for 2021 totaled 8.04 inches, which was 3.32 inches below normal. Since October, the water year precipitation at Bend Airport has been 3.69 inches, which is 0.50 inch below normal.

Snowfall in Bend for the month totaled 7.6 inches, with at least an inch of snow reported on four days. The heaviest snowfall was 2.1 inches, reported on the 16th.

Bend's outlook for January from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center calls for below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation. Normal highs for Bend during January are 41.1 degrees and normal lows are 24.5 degrees. The 30-year average precipitation is 1.53 inches.

 Prineville Airport's average temperature was 35 degrees, which was 2.7 degrees above normal. High temperatures averaged 44.9 degrees, which was 4 degrees above normal. The highest was 72 degrees on the 2nd. Low temperatures averaged 25.2 degrees, which was 1.4 degrees above normal. The lowest was 7 degrees, on the 30th.

There were 25 days with Prineville's low temperature below 32 degrees. There were four days when the high temperature stayed below 32 degrees.

Precipitation totaled 1.00 inch during December, which was 0.44 of an inch below normal. Measurable precipitation - at least .01 inch - was received on 14 days, with the heaviest, 0.17 inches, reported on the 7th.

Prineville's precipitation in 2021 totaled 8.73 inches, which is 1.95 inches below normal. Since October, the water year precipitation at Prineville has been 3.56 inches, which is 0.11 inches above normal.

Snowfall totaled 4.6 inches, with at least 1 inch of snow reported on two days. The heaviest snowfall was 1.7 inches reported on the 27th. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was 3 inches on the 28th.

       The outlook for January from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center calls for below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation. Normal highs for Prineville during January are 42.8 degrees and normal lows are 25.4 degrees. The 30 year normal precipitation is 1.12 inches.

Article Topic Follows: Weather

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