1. British Columbia:
MOISTURE DEFICITS INCREASE
Although 25 to 100 mm of precipitation fell on southwestern British Columbia
much of the province received little or none. During the last 8 weeks,
100 to 430 mm of precipitation has fallen along the coast, resulting in
moisture deficits of 50 to 400 mm. For the same time period, less than
100 mm of precipitation accumulated across interior British Columbia, yielding
precipitation shortfalls of up to 100 mm [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].
2. Western United States:
PACIFIC STORMS DELIVER HEAVY PRECIPITATION
A series of Pacific storms delivered as much as 250 mm of precipitation
to California while 25 to 75 mm fell on the remainder of the area. Moisture
excesses of 50 to 160 mm accumulated in much of California during the last
8 weeks, but surpluses were generally less than 50 mm elsewhere [WET -
Up to 6 weeks].
3. Mexico and Central United States:
WARM ANOMALY CONTINUES EASTWARD SHIFT
Pleasant late winter weather, characterized by weekly temperature departures
of +6°C to +11°C, dominated the central and eastern United States
from the Great Plains to the western slopes of the Appalachians. The mercury
soared above 20°C as far north as southern Wisconsin, southern Michigan,
and extreme western New York while readings climbed above 30°C in parts
of Mexico and southern Texas. Temperatures remained above freezing across
central and southern Texas and the Gulf Coast [WARM - Up to 8 weeks].
4. Southern United States:
STILL VERY DRY
Little or no rain fell on Alabama, eastern Tennessee, northwestern Georgia,
and the western Carolinas while 10 to 25 mm (with isolated totals to 50
mm) dampened Mississippi and eastern Louisiana. During the past 8 weeks,
fewer than 200 mm has fallen on the region, allowing moisture shortages
of 50 to 200 mm to accumulate as the growing season approaches [DRY - Up
to 7 weeks].
5. Northern Scandinavia:
POCKET OF WETNESS REMAINS
Light to moderate precipitation (up to 24 mm) kept parts of northern Sweden
and northern Finland relatively wet. Since the first of the year, 100 to
220 mm (55 to 85 mm above normal) have fallen over the area [WET - Up to
8 weeks].
6. Northern Great Britain and the Baltics:
WETNESS CONTINUES
Moderate precipitation (15 to 50 mm) kept portions of Scotland and the
Baltics wet. During the last 8 weeks, moisture excesses of up to 300 mm
have accumulated in the region [WET - Up to 6 weeks].
7. Southwestern and Central Europe and Northwestern Africa:
DRYNESS CONTINUES
Except in the higher elevations, dry weather again prevailed from Morocco
and the Canary Islands northeastward across southeastern Europe into Hungary
and Slovakia. The region has generally received less than 100 mm of rain
since the first of January, yielding moisture shortages of 50 to 210 mm
[DRY - Up to 11 weeks].
8. Central Africa:
DRY ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Little or no rain again fell across southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea,
northern Gabon and adjacent Congo. The region has received 60 to 240 mm
less than their normal rainfall during the last 8 weeks [DRY - Up to 5
weeks].
9. South Africa:
TROPICAL CYCLONE ELINE BRINGS MORE HEAVY RAIN
Tropical Cyclone Eline slammed into Mozambique on Tuesday and then tracked
westward into Zimbabwe, northeastern South Africa, and eastern Botswana,
inundating the flood ravaged region with 100 to 500 mm of additional rain.
According to media reports, the resultant flooding from Eline has taken
dozens of lives and submerged and destroyed more villages [WET - Up to
16 weeks].
10. Korea and Japan:
ABNORMALLY DRY CONDITIONS DEVELOP
Little or no precipitation has fallen on Korea and Japan during the last
5 weeks, except along orographically-favored locations of western and central
Japan, where weekly totals of 25 to 100 mm were reported. Despite the very
dry weather, 8-week moisture deficits were generally less than 100 mm,
with the exception of a few locations in central Japan [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].
11. Australia:
TROPICAL STORM INUNDATES CENTRAL QUEENSLAND COAST; ABUNDANT
RAINS REPORTED ELSEWHERE
Tropical Storm Steve brought torrential rains (more than 200 mm) to the
coast of central Queensland while 50 to 200 mm drenched the Northern Territory
and the northern, western, and southern portions of Queensland. Weekly
totals were less than 50 mm elsewhere, but were still above seasonal normals,
with short-term (8-week) precipitation excesses of 100 to 515 mm reported
at scattered locations [WET - Up to 6 weeks].
12. Central Australia:
UNSEASONABLY COOL WEATHER RETURNS
Temperatures were 2°C to 5°C below normal , with the largest weekly
departures reported in Western Australia. Lows dropped below 20°C as
far north as east-central Western Australia and extreme northern South
Australia, but the mercury managed to exceed 30°C at most locations
[COLD - Up to 3 weeks].
13. Southeastern Australia:
WARM ANOMALY DEVELOPS
In sharp contrast to conditions further north, positive weekly departures
of +2°C to +4°C prevailed across Victoria and Tasmania, with highs
reaching 34°C in Victoria, and 28°C in Tasmania [WARM - Up to 4
weeks].