By Russell Russ

May continued Norfolk’s string of sixteen consecutive months with above normal temperatures. While it dipped into the mid to upper 30’s a few times, no frost was observed at the weather station, and the opportunity to finally record a cooler than normal month for a change was quickly eliminated when the temperatures increased towards the end of the month. It warmed up so much that two days set high temperature records.

The month’s low temperature of 36 degrees was observed on May 12 and the high of 89 degrees was observed on May 29. With an average temperature of 59.2 degrees it was 4.6 degrees above normal. The two record high temperatures occurred at month’s end. Memorial Day, May 28, saw the mercury hit 86, just beating the 85 degree mark set in 1934. The 89 degrees on May 29 shattered the old 1955 record of 83.     

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 4.78 inches, 0.44 inches above normal. It was the first time this year with an above average rainfall total. No snow or sleet fell during the month. On average that is less than half an inch below normal.  

The snowfall total for the 2011-12 winter season, October through May, was 55.7 inches, which is 35.1 inches below normal for a season. A quick review of Norfolk’s 80 year history solidly places the 2011-12 winter season in Norfolk’s top ten for least amount of winter season snowfall.

For the 2012 calendar year, the snowfall total of 28.6 inches is 37.4 inches below normal. The total precipitation amount of 14.49 inches is 6.79 inches below normal.

Weather observations are recorded by the Great Mountain Forest Corporation at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2 SW.