In this month’s Southwest Climate Podcast episode, hosts Zack Guido and Mike Crimmins are feeling good about the warmer than normal December temps.  They start out with a look at recent conditions, including the persistent ridge keeping us dry this month.  This leads to a review of a paper on the Heat Dome of 2023 - and what all this warmth means for snowpack in the west.  They give their End of Year review of heat, fire and precipitation in 2025.  Rounding out the episode is a telling of each of their picks for the Climate Story of the Year for the Southwest.  

Paper: “The longest-lasting 2023 western North American heat wave was fueled by the record-warm Atlantic Ocean”

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Snowpack Map

Southwest U.S. Station Climate Summaries

SWCC: Southwest Year-To-Date Wildland Fire Activity

Webinar: Globe/Miami Flooding Event of September 2025: Weather and Climate Overview

NOAA NWS: Climate Prediction Center - Outlooks

NOAA NWS: North American Multi-Model Ensemble

International Multi-Model Ensemble