THE A T M O S P H E R I C R E S E R V O I R Examining the Atmosphere and Atmospheric Resource Management A November to Remember By Mark D. Schneider As this article was being writ- adequate subsoil moisture supply. ten in early December, cold air was Most producers should be pleased After an abnormally cold and migrating southward into our state, with these conditions and with the wet October, many North Dakotans resulting in below normal tempera- rapid freeze that occurred in early believed that winter had made an tures. Dec. 1st marked the beginning December, trapping moisture in the early arrival. November turned out of meteorological winter, ground for next season’s crops. to be a welcome surprise. The majority of farmers who were Eastern North Dakota has unable to harvest their crops been struggling to dry out its earlier this fall were provided well-saturated soils and the ideal late-season harvest condi- rest of the state will possi- tions during the month. Grasses bly benefit more from a wet remained green and plants spring than a wet winter. A and vegetation actually began recent study by Texas A&M blooming again in some parts University and the Univer- of the state where conditions sity of Delaware points to a were exceptionally mild! link between spring snowfall and summer moisture condi- According to National tions in the Northern Great Weather Service (NWS) data, Plains. Spring snowfall and Bismarck, Minot, and Fargo rains tend to promote more had their second warmest moisture during the sum- Novembers on record with only mer because of evaporation 0.04 inches of precipitation at from soils and vegetation. Bismarck, a trace at Minot, and As mentioned in previous 0.41 inches at Fargo for the month. articles, this evapotranspiration Similar conditions were seen across which continues until the end of can prove an essential ingredient to the state with Dickinson, Jame- February, so it’s appropriate that convective cloud development and stown, and Grand Forks experienc- cold temperatures and snow made rainfall during the growing season. ing their third warmest Novembers a reappearance on that date. The El with 0.02, 0.15, and 0.29 inches of Nino forecast for this winter should In any case, we can look back precipitation and Williston receiving bring above average temperatures at November with gratitude and its fifth warmest November and only and, according to NWS data, snow- ahead at the next growing season 0.02 inches. fall over our region will likely be 67 with promise. to 85 percent of normal. From Nov. 2008 to Dec. 2009, there were only two months when If dry conditions continue temperatures averaged above nor- through the winter, limited agri- mal. Those months were September cultural consequences should be Atmospheric Resource Board and November of this year. During observed. A wet October provided North Dakota State Water Commission the month of November Bismarck much needed subsoil moisture to 900 East Boulevard, Bismarck, ND 58505 our state. According to the USDA (701) 328-2788 had 20 days when the mercury http://swc.nd.gov topped 50 degrees. This is an his- National Agricultural Statistics ND Weather Modification Association toric occurrence and happened only Service (NASS) Nov. 30th report, PO Box 2599, Bismarck, ND 58502 once before—in Nov. 2001! 71 percent of North Dakota had an (701) 223-4232

North Dakota Water ■ January 2010 19