No such thing as normal weather

Early Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service warned eastern New Mexico to prepare for heavy, blowing snow and hazardous driving conditions on Monday morning.

Instead, we received no significant moisture. The sun was out. Roads were clear.

Just another example of how unpredictable the weather can be around these parts.

Business promoters boast our average temperature is just under 60 degrees and we receive about 300 days of sunshine every year. But you don’t have to be here long to realize average is not normal.

There is no such thing as normal weather in eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.

On Feb. 1, 1967, area thermometers climbed over 80 degrees. That same date in 1951, we set a record — 17 degrees below zero.

It’s usually nippy outside from, say, Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day. But on Christmas Day in 1919, our pioneer settlers saw temperatures in the 90s.

We don’t receive a lot of moisture, often going three months or more without snow or rain. But in 1911, National Weather Service records show Clovis received 22 inches of snow ... in November. And in 1914, Portales was flooded with 12.67 inches of rain ... in May.

Outdoor activity promoters tell us the average annual rainfall for the region is 18 inches.

History tells us you do not want to be outdoors the day it falls.