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from which these data were collected. This report contains updated historical information for temperature, precipitation, wind, normal and extreme values of temperature and precipitation, and other miscellaneous meteorological parameters. Further, the data are adjunct to and update Hoitink et al. (1999Hoitink et al. ( , 2000Hoitink et al. ( , 2001Hoitink et al. ( , 2002Hoitink et al. ( , 2003Hoitink et al. ( , 2004 and Hoitink and Burk (1994, 1996, 1997; however, data from Appendix B -Wind Climatology (Hoitink and Burk 1994) are excluded.Calendar year 2004 was warmer than normal 2 at the Hanford Meteorology Station with an average temperature of 54.6°F, 1.0°F above normal (53.6°F). The hottest temperature was 107°F on August 13, while the coldest was -14°F on January 5. For the 12-month period, 7 months were warmer than normal, and 5 months were cooler than normal.Precipitation for 2004 totaled 7.96 inches, 114% of normal (6.98 inches); calendar year snowfall totaled 22.9 inches (compared to the normal of 15.4 inches). The 11.4 inches of snow which fell on January 1 was the greatest amount ever recorded during a 24-hour period. The previous record was 10.2 inches on February 18-19, 1993.Calendar year 2004 had an average wind speed of 7.0 miles per hour (mph), 0.6 mph below normal (7.6 mph). There were 22 days with peak gusts ≥40 mph, compared to a yearly average of 27 days. The peak gust during the year was 63 mph on January 30. Throughout this document the term "normal" is used to indicate climatological normal, defined as an average value over a period of years of any meteorological element such as temperature, pressure, and rainfall. The convention uses a 30-year time period, ending with the last year of a given decade (such as 1951-1980, 1961-1990, 1971-2000).

Calendaryear 1993 is the first year since 1985 with a below-normal average annual temperature. The averagetemperaturefor 1993 was 51.8°F, 1.5°b elow normal (53.3°F). The warmest year on record is 1992, which averaged 56.4oF; the coldest is 1985,which averaged 49.6°F. Eight months during 1993 were cooler than normal, six of which were at least 2.0°below normal, and four of which were more than 5.0°below normal. July 1993 was a record cold month, averaging70.5°F, 5.7°below normal (76.2°F). Four months were warmer than normal, three of which were at least 3.0°above normal. May had the greatest positive departure (+5.2°),and Februarythe greatest negative (-7.2°). Precipitationfor calendaryear 1993 totaled 7.83 inches, 125% of normal (6.26 inches). Calendaryear snowfall totaled 36.2 inches,the third highest calendaryear snowfall total on record. The highest was 45.1 inches in 1916. Normal yearly snowfall is 13.8 inches. January 1993 was much colder and wetter than normal. The average temperature for the month was 24.8°F, 6.5°below normal. It was the coldest month at the HMS since December 1990,which averaged 24.1°F. Precipitationfor the month totaled 1.30 inches, 165% of normal. Snowfall for January was 17.1 inches,the second highest monthly snowfallon record, compared to a normal January snowfall of 3.9 inches. January 1950 recorded 23.4 inches, the largest January snowfall on record. February 1993 was another cold month, averaging30.8°F, 7.2°below normal. The period from February 15 to 28 averaged 18.1°below normal, with numerous record low temperatures(see Table 2.1). The minimum temperatureof 3°F on February 28 was the coldest temperatureever recorded that late in the winter season. February precipitationtotaled 1.17 inches, 189% of normal (a) Note: During 1993, the climatologicaldatabase includeddata from the old Hanford Townsite,with the record beginningin 1912. Therefore,the calendar year 1993 summary includes some referencesto that data.

The present and past natural history of the Hanford Site come together along the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River. The active sands dunes of the Hanford Reach National Monument march eastward across the desert to the Columbia River with the ancestral Columbia River deposits of the White Bluffs forming a backdrop. The photo is from LMSI (92100762-24cn), Richland, Washington. This document was printed on recycled paper.

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