Daniel Salzler No. 1288 EnviroInsight.org Three Items January 10, 2025
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1. Calling All Volunteers! Join us for a day of service! This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, join the Oak Creek Watershed Council and our local partners for a day of service as we give back to our beautiful watershed! We’re hosting two volunteer cleanups and would love for you to join us:
Sunset Park Arizona Cypress Trailhead
Friday, January 17th at 10:00 AM Monday, January 20th at 10:00 AM
We’ll provide snacks, all necessary cleanup materials, and lots of gratitude for your time and energy. Volunteers should come prepared with:
💧Water
🥾 Closed-toe shoes
☀️ Sun protection
🧣 Warm layers
Let’s make a difference together for our community and for Oak Creek—your participation helps protect and preserve this precious watershed! We can’t wait to see you there!
Register on line at https://vsvv.org/#calendar-e10ab0fe-c764-4bec-8ecf-5153ff09b4ea-event-m51b97g4 or at MLK Day of Service (January 20th https://vsvv.org/#calendar-e10ab0fe-c764-4bec-8ecf-5153ff09b4ea-event-m51b97g4
Questions? Contact Kelsey Whitaker at [email protected]
2. Being Alert For Virus Infections: Comparing Symptom For Cold, Flu, Covid-19, And RSV. Think before going into the public if you be wearing a mask.
Symptoms of influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus (RSV), and COVID-19 are similar and may include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Because the symptoms are similar, it can be difficult to distinguish between illnesses caused by respiratory viruses. To diagnose a potential case, healthcare professionals may use a diagnostic test. Source: National Foundation for Infectious Diseases at https://www.nfid.org/resource/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-flu-rsv-covid-19-and-the-common-cold/
3. Climas: December 2024
Precipitation and Temperature
November precipitation was generally above normal for New Mexico and below normal for Arizona. Parts of eastern New Mexico received record precipitation while for parts of western Arizona it was the driest November on record.
November temperatures were near normal or below normal for much of Arizona and New Mexico. Temperatures were above normal parts of southern and eastern New Mexico.
September – November temperatures were much-above normal across Arizona and New Mexico. In some areas it was the warmest September – November season on record.
Drought
Drought conditions have not yet improved in Arizona and New Mexico. Drought or abnormally dry conditions are diagnosed for over half of New Mexico and about 90% of Arizona, by area. The most acute drought conditions are found in the southernmost parts of New Mexico and in western Arizona, where drought has been classified as D3 Extreme Drought. Areas of D1 Moderate Drought to D2 Severe Drought extend from those hardest-hit areas into central and southeast Arizona.
Snowpack
Snowpack in Arizona and New Mexico is generally below normal to much-below normal. Snow water equivalent (SWE) is closer to normal in basins to the north—as of December 30, 2024, SWE aggregated for the Upper Colorado Basin is 95% of normal.
Water Supply
Water storage at Lake Mead and Lake Powell is well below long-term average levels, but close to where levels were last year. Other major reservoirs in Arizona are near or above long-term average levels, but in most cases holding less than last year. New Mexico reservoirs are generally below long-term average levels with a few exceptions—Ute Reservoir is near capacity, and Avalon is up over last year and above the long-term average.
Seasonal Forecasts
The January – March seasonal precipitation forecast leans toward below normal precipitation (greater than 33% chance) for an area that includes Arizona and New Mexico. Southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico are included in an area where the forecast calls below normal precipitation likely—with a probability between 50% and 60%.
Seasonal Temperature Outlook
The January – March seasonal temperature forecast favors warmer-than-normal temperatures in Arizona and New Mexico. Both states are included in an area where the forecast either leans toward above normal temperatures (33% – 50% probability) or calls them likely (50% – 60% probability). The seasonal forecast generally follows the pattern of precipitation anomalies associated with La Niña; although by SST measures La Niña has been slow to emerge and apparently weak, the tropical atmosphere has been acting La Niña-like for several months, and it is the atmospheric response to ENSO that leads to seasonal climate anomalies in North America.
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