Weekly Global Climate Highlights

1. Western United States and Southwestern Canada:

STILL UNSEASONABLY COOL Temperatures were 1°C to 4°C below normal during the past week, with subfreezing lows as far south as northern Nevada [COLD - 3 to 5 weeks].

2. Central United States and South-Central Canada:

SHORT-TERM MOISTURE SURPLUSES REMAIN Between 20 and 100 mm of rain fell on south-central Manitoba, central and eastern Iowa, southern and eastern Nebraska, central and eastern Kansas, and northwestern Missouri, but fewer than 20 mm were observed elsewhere. Since the beginning of April, the region has received 100 to 500 mm of rain, resulting in moisture excesses of 100 to 200 mm in eastern Colorado, eastern Nebraska, central and eastern Kansas, Iowa, and southeastern Minnesota. In addition, moisture surpluses of 50 to 200 mm accumulated in south-central Canada and scattered locations in the Dakotas [WET - 5 to 10 weeks].

3. Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada:

MOISTURE DEFICITS REMAIN Much of New England received 20 to 50 mm of rain during the past week, but the remainder of the region received fewer than 30 mm. Only 25 to 100 mm of precipitation has fallen on the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada since the beginning of April. Short-term moisture deficits reached 100 to 200 mm in the mid-Atlantic and the eastern Maritimes, and ranged from 50 to 100 mm elsewhere. [DRY - 5 to 9 weeks].

4. Eastern Europe and Northwestern Asia:

ABNORMALLY LOW TEMPERATURES PERSIST Weekly departures ranged from -3°C to -7°C across most of European and western Asian Russia. Lows dropped below freezing as far south as Bugulma, Russia (55°N). Farther west, temperatures were 1°C to 3°C below normal across much of Poland, Hungary, and Romania [COLD - 3 weeks].

5. West Central Europe:

FLOODING IN THE ALPS Heavy rain (up to 130 mm), combined with melting snow from last winter, caused some severe flooding in the Alpine region. According to the media, the floods triggered landslides, forced numerous evacuations, killed several people, and caused a dam to burst [Episodic Event].

6. Southern Europe, Northern Africa, and Southwestern Asia:

STILL VERY WARM Significant weekly departures dominated Algeria and Libya (+5°C to +7°C) and Egypt (+3°C to +5°C) while smaller departures (up to +3°C) were noted across the remainder of northern Africa. Highs exceeded 40°C across most of Algeria, Libya, and Egypt, but the mercury remained below 40°C along the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria and at coastal locations in Egypt. Temperatures were 3°C to 8°C above normal in Iran and northern Syria, with highs approaching 35°C. Conditions moderated along the Mediterranean Coast of Europe as temperatures returned to near normal values [WARM - 3 to 9 weeks].

7. Southern Pakistan:

TROPICAL CYCLONE 02A BUFFETS COUNTRY Based on satellite estimates, Tropical Cyclone 02A packed wind speeds of over 200 kph, with gusts reaching 250 kph before making landfall in southern Pakistan. As the storm moved ashore, heavy rains (reliable data are lacking) and strong winds caused significant loss of life and considerable damage, according to press reports [Episodic Event].

8. Thailand:

TEMPERATURES MODERATE During the past week, temperatures began returning to normal, with weekly departures within -3°C across the country [COLD - Ending at 3 weeks].

9. The Philippines and Southeastern Asia:

WETNESS CONTINUES Moderate to very heavy rain (30 to 250 mm) again soaked much of the Indochina Peninsula. Since the first of April, precipitation totals (moisture excesses) reached as much as 1000 mm (+790 mm) in Vietnam, 765 mm (+420 mm) in Thailand, and 525 mm (+200 mm) in Malaysia [WET - 5 to 18 weeks].

10. Central China:

WETNESS DEVELOPS Thunderstorms spread moderate to heavy rain (25 to 90 mm) from Sichuan Province eastward into Hubei and Henan Provinces. Since the start of April, precipitation totals ranged from 385 to 725 mm across much of the region with moisture surpluses reaching as much as 435 mm [WET - 4 to 9 weeks].

11. Southeastern Australia:

ABNORMALLY DRY WEATHER CONTINUES Little or no rain fell on Victoria and Tasmania, except for 10 to 25 mm in western Victoria and up to 50 mm at favored locations of western Tasmania. Despite the prolonged dryness, short-term (April 1 - May 22) moisture deficits were generally less than 100 mm [DRY - 5 to 7 weeks].