The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Oct. 21 that 2015 may be the hottest year on record. Global temperatures are record highs for seven months of the year to-date.
In Arizona, the daily high temperatures in 2015 have been warm, so far ranking in the top 10 hottest years since 1895. But the state is experiencing a more drastic shift in nighttime temperatures.
Meteorologist Ken Waters, with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, said recently the most common daily records in the state are warm overnight lows. And January through September ranked first in the highest minimum temperatures ever recorded for that nine-month period in Arizona.
Nancy Selover, state climatologist, said Arizona is also seeing a winter warming trend.
“We have had fewer winter storms, and that means we don’t have as much cloudiness and cold air,” Selover said. “So we’re having clear skies, sunny conditions and that leads to warmer temperatures in the winter.”
Warm moisture from this year’s El Niño would need to be paired with polar winds from the north to help keep temperatures down over the winter months.