Summary - November 2015

First - another Javelina invasion yesterday morning by the local Rillito herd. They were scavenging potted plants and Thanksgiving leftovers in trash bins they overturned. There were three adults and two tiny ones that were confused and couldn't seem to get out of the courtyard and rest of herd was out in front pushing at our courtyard gate. I couldn't get close enough to get a good flash, but the photo above shows mother and two little ones near our horno. I had to run out and raise garage door to get them all back together and on their way in the pre-dawn hours.
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November 2015

Rain occurred on only four days here (two events) with the total only reaching 0.33 inches. But even that small amount is the 7th wettest November here at house during past 17 years.

There were low temperatures of freezing, or below, on 11 mornings during the month (in contrast to the airport which had only one - 30 F yesterday). Coldest morning here was also yesterday, the 30th, with a low of 25 F.

The contrast in morning temperatures across the limits of the City of Tucson can be quite impressive and can be illustrated by the differences between here along the Rillito Wash (just inside northern boundary of City) and down at the airport in the southern part of the City. 

The airport had not had a freezing temperature since January 4, 2015, until yesterday's low of 30 F. 

Correction: I missed the 32 F low at the airport on the 29th of November, so the TUS ASOS site went from January 4th to November 29th without an observation of freezing temperatures or below.

In contrast, there were 32 days here with lows of 32 F or colder during the same period. The temperature dropped into the 20s F on 18 of these days, with the coldest morning low since January 4th being 22 F (note that the first four days of 2015 had two mornings here in the teens).
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We were up in Winslow on Friday and Saturday and there was still some Fall color there - the fierce winds that sweep the area usually strip the leaves away quickly (note the bare cottonwoods to the west of hotel roof). The trees above are sheltered, in front of the landmark hotel, La Posada. Although I didn't get photos, the sycamores along Sycamore Creek were in splendid Fall dress.