Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for December 11, 1999

1. Eastern Canada and Northeastern United States:

VERY MILD CONDITIONS SHIFT NORTHEASTWARD
Average temperatures for the week were 5°C to 10°C above normal across most of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence River Valley while weekly departures of +3°C to +6°C prevailed to the south and west. The mercury climbed above the freezing mark as far north as central Manitoba, and reached 20°C in southwestern New England [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].

2. Eastern United States:

DRYNESS SHIFTS EASTWARD
Between 25 and 50 mm of precipitation fell on western South Carolina, eastern Kentucky, parts of eastern West Virginia, northern Virginia, southeastern Pennsylvania, Long Island, and southern New England, but fewer than 30 mm were reported across most of the Southeast and East. Short-term (8-week) moisture shortages of 50 to 100 mm prevailed from Georgia and the Carolinas northeastward to southeastern New York while larger deficits (100 to 200 mm) dominated southern New England and the deep South [DRY - Up to 14 weeks].

3. Northern Argentina, Southern Bolivia, and Western Paraguay:

STILL UNSEASONABLY COOL
Temperatures averaged 3°C to 7°C below normal, with the mercury dropping below 10°C as far north as extreme northern Argentina and to 15°C in southern Bolivia [COLD - Up to 7 weeks].

4. Central South America:

MOISTURE DEFICITS PERSIST
Scattered showers brought 25 to 100 mm of rain to northern Argentina (northern San Luis, southeastern La Rioja, and northern Cordoba), southern Brazil (Parana, Santa Catarina, and northern Rio Grande do Sul), and parts of Paraguay. Fewer than 30 mm of rain fell on the remainder of the region. Moisture shortages for the last 8 weeks ranged from 100 to 300 mm [DRY - Up to 14 weeks].

5. Extreme Western Africa:

HIGH TEMPERATURES REPORTED
Weekly departures ranged from +1°C to +3°C, with locally higher departures. High temperatures for the week exceeded 30°C across all of Senegal, the Gambia, and western Mauritania [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

6. Turkey and the Middle East:

UNUSUALLY DRY CONDITIONS REPORTED
Little or no rain was reported in Turkey and the Middle East last week. Short-term (October 17 - December 11) totals were generally less than 100 mm, with moisture shortages of 50 to 200 mm accumulating across the region [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].

7. Southeastern Asia and Northwestern Indonesia:

HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE
Torrential downpours (over 100 mm) drenched coastal Vietnam, extreme southern Thailand, eastern Peninsular Malaysia, the western and southern portions of Sumatra, and western Sarawak Island while 25 to 100 mm of rain were reported elsewhere. Since the middle of October, 200 to 1000 mm of rain have fallen on the region, resulting in precipitation surpluses of over 1500 mm in extreme southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, over 1300 mm along coastal Vietnam, and 100 to 1000 mm elsewhere [WET - Up to 10 weeks].

8. Northern Australia:

A RELATIVELY DRY WEEK
Little or no rain was reported across the region; however, caution is required because of data problems in Australian precipitation totals. Our records indicate that 200 to 520 mm of rain have fallen on the area, yielding moisture surpluses of 100 to 400 mm [WET - Up to 10 weeks].

9. Northeastern Australia:

COOL ANOMALY ABATES
Temperatures were within 3°C of normal during the past week as unusually cool conditions moderated. Lows, however, dropped below 20°C as far north as east-central Queensland [COLD - Ending at 7 weeks].