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Introduction to the
Mojave National Preserve

Physiography

Weather Data

General Mojave
Geologic History

Changing Climates & Ancient Lakes

Weathering & Erosion

Carbonate
Rocks &
Landforms

Granitic
Rocks &
Landforms

Volcanic
Rocks &
Landforms

Faults & Active Tectonics

Pediments & Alluvial Fans

Stream Channel
Development

Stream Terraces
& Older Surfaces

Mojave River

Playas

Sand Dunes & Dust

Human Impacts

Selected References

3D Geology Tour

Index Page

Weather Data - Selected Reporting Sites In the Greater Mojave Region

Historic weather data for the Mojave National Preserve is relatively scarce because there are no significant population centers or airports in the vicinity where records were kept. The table below provides a summary of selected sites and data from in and around the greater Mojave region that might serve as a proxy for weather conditions in different settings within the national preserve (none of the sites are within the preserve itself). In the future data from many additional weather stations in the region will be available.

The weather data basically shows what any of the regional residents could tell you. The region has very hot summers and cool winters. Most of the rain falls in the winter months, but August typically has some monsoonal storms. Spring tends to be the windiest season, and fall is the dryest and least windy season.

Map of historic weather stations in the Mojave region

Location Barstow Bishop    Blythe    
FAA		 Daggett FAA Death     Valley Eagle Mountain Mitchell
Caverns**
Latitude N34-54 N37-22 N33-37 N34-52 N36-28 N33-48 N34-56
Longitude W117-02 W118-22 W114-36 W116-47 W116-52 W115-27 W115-30
Elevation 2,162 4,108 268 1,922 -194 973 4,350
Temperature
Degrees F		              

January
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
60.0
31.7
45.9
52.9
21.4
37.2
67.6
38.2
52.9
60.7
35.9
48.3
65.3
39.6
52.5
64.1
44.1
54.1
54.4
36.9
--

April
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
77.0
45.0
61.1
70.9
35.8
53.4
86.5
52.1
69.3
78.0
50.2
64.1

89.5
62.1
75.8
81.5
59.2
70.4
69.5
48.2
--

July
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
102.6
67.2
84.2
97.5
56.3
77.0
108.7
76.8
92.8
104.0
73.2
88.6

115.4
88.4
101.9
105.2
82.8
94.0
94.0
71.1
--

October
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
83.0
48.1
65.5
77.1
37.4
57.3
90.7
56.1
73.4
83.2
54.6
68.9

92.9
62.9
77.9
87.5
64.6
76.1
75.1
54.4
--

Annual
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
80.3
47.7
64.0
74.4
37.6
56.0
88.1
55.4
71.8
81.1
53.2
67.2
90.4
63.0
76.7
84.3
62.4
74.3
73.0
52.3
--

Precipitation
Normals (IN)

              
January .66 1.32 .44 .56 .27 .41 1.54
April .22 .31 .17 .27 .14 .14 .53
July .31 .19 .11 .32 .16 .41 .90
August .30 .11 .94 .50 .09 .56 1.80
October .19 .17 .32 .17 .11 .25 .73
Annual 4.14 5.61 3.75 3.81 2.03 3.26 11.82

Wind Speed
Average MPH

              
January   7.1 6.5 8.6      
April   10.1 8.9 13.8      
July   8.3 9.4 12.2      
August   8.4 8.8 11.4      
October   8.1 6.7 9.5      
Annual   8.4 7.8 10.9      


Location Needles FAA Palm
Springs  		 Palmdale
 Parker Reservoir Randsburg Thermal
FAA

Twentynine Palms
Latitude N34-46 N33-49 N34-35 N34-17 N35-22 N33-38 N34-08
Longitude W114-37 W116-32 W118-06 W114-10 W117-39 W116-10 W116-02
Elevation 913 411 2,596 738 3,570 120 1,975
Temperature
Degrees F		              

January
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
62.9
40.9
51.9
69.3
40.8
55.1
58.6
32.2
45.4
63.9
42.4
53.2
53.8
35.7
44.7
69.8
38.3
54.1
62.7
35.3
49.0

April
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
83.4
56.3
69.9
86.2
52.2
69.2
72.9
42.6
57.8
83.3
58.7
71.1
71.0
45.6
58.4
85.6
55.1
70.4
81.0
48.5
64.7

July
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
108.7
83.1
95.9
109.1
74.1
91.7
97.7
65.0
8.14
107.8
83.4
95.6
98.8
68.7
83.8
106.9
76.9
91.9
105.4
72.1
88.7

October
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
87.9
61.1
74.7
92.1
57.9
75.0
80.6
47.4
64.0
89.5
64.4
77.0
77.1
53.2
65.2
91.0
57.8
74.4
86.0
52.7
69.6

Annual
Maximum
Minimum
Mean
85.5
60.1
72.8
88.8
55.8
72.3
77.1
46.4
61.6
85.5
61.9
73.9
74.9
50.4
62.7
88.1
56.7
72.4
83.5
51.8
67.7

Precipitation
Normals (IN)

              
January .52 1.26 1.73 .78 1.23 .52 .42
April .26 .17 .53 .23 .40 .07 .12
July .47 .04 .04 .31 .12 .18 .67
August .67 .06 .23 .60 .16 .30 .68
October .35 .65 .16 .46 .20 .14 .26
Annual 4.39 5.20 7.38 4.97 5.48 2.82 3.89

Wind Speed
Average MPH

              
January   6.6 8.8     5.0 6.1
April   10.3 12.9     8.3 9.9
July   9.7 12.0     7.0 8.1
August   8.9 10.8     6.2 7.5
October   8.0 9.2     5.9 6.0
Annual   8.7 10.6     6.5 7.6

Temperature and precipitation data from: NOAA, National Climatic Center (re-compiled by Gale Research Company, 1983, Climate Normals for the U.S. [Base: 1951-1980]: Detroit, MI.) **Mitchell Caverns, CA data reported from 1971 to 2000 from: http://www.ohwy.com/ca/w/wx045721.htm.

Wind data from: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/westwind.final.html - Western Regional Climate Center (Desert Research Institute and others; Reno, NV): The monthly average wind speeds are based on hourly observations from reporting airports and based on data from 1992-2002.



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The URL is http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1007/weather.html
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Last updated: December 18, 2009 (mfd)