Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for November 18, 2000

1. Western and Central United States:

COLD CANADIAN AIR PENETRATES THE UNITED STATES
Bitterly cold air, with temperatures averaging 6°C to 12°C below normal, overspread the Rockies and Great Plains while weekly departures of -3°C to -6°C covered the remainder of the region. The mercury plummeted below -20°C as far south as east-central Nevada and southern Utah, with subfreezing lows pushing into Mexico. Readings failed to reach freezing in the Rockies while highs above 20°C were restricted to southern California and southeastern Arizona [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].

2. Central United States:

GULF COAST REMAINS WET WHILE FAVORABLY DRY CONDITIONS PREVAIL ELSEWHERE
Torrential rains (100 to 200 mm) drenched the Gulf Coast while totals of 50 to 100 mm were reported across southeastern Texas, Louisiana, and most of Alabama and Mississippi. Little or no precipitation was reported from northern and western Texas northward to the Canadian border. Short-term (8-week) precipitation totals ranged from 100 to 360 mm, with moisture excesses ranging from 100 to 200 mm in the Red River Valley of the Dakotas and Minnesota and from 100 to 350 mm across the southern Plains [WET - Up to 8 weeks].

3. Eastern United States:

MORE VERY DRY WEATHER
Fewer than 25 mm of rain was reported along the Atlantic Seaboard during the past week. During the past 8 weeks, less than 150 mm of precipitation has been measured, resulting in moisture deficits of 50 to 150 mm  [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].

4. Southeastern Canada:

MILD CONDITIONS DOMINATE
Temperatures averaged 3°C to 6°C below normal across Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes, with lows remaining above freezing along the Atlantic Coasts of Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland. The mercury climbed above 10°C at many locations in the Maritimes [WARM - Up to 6 weeks].

5. Central South America:

COLD AIR OVERSPREADS REGION
Weekly departures of -3°C to -7°C prevailed across Bolivia, Paraguay, parts of Uruguay, and most of Argentina, with subfreezing lows as far north as northern La Pampa and central Mendoza provinces of central Argentina. Despite the unusually low temperatures, highs pushed above 30°C at most locations [COLD - 2 weeks].

6. Northern Argentina:

A RELATIVELY DRY WEEK
Scattered showers yielded 25 to 50 mm of rain in northern Argentina, but most of the region received fewer than 25 mm. During the last 8 weeks, 50 to 650 mm of rain has fallen on the region, allowing moisture surpluses of 50 to 225 mm to accumulate [WET - Up to 10 weeks].

7. Western and Southern Europe:

WET WEATHER PERSISTS IN ALPS, ABATES ELSEWHERE
Heavy precipitation (100 to 250 mm) inundated the Alps of Switzerland and Italy while 50 to 100 mm fell on adjacent regions. In addition, northwestern Spain and parts of eastern and western France received 50 to 100 mm of rain. The remainder of western and central Europe reported precipitation totals of 10 to 50 mm. During the past 8 weeks, 300 to 1100 mm of precipitation has fallen on the Alps, yielding moisture excesses of 350 to 720 mm while 8-week totals of up to 400 mm and departures of up to 300 mm prevailed elsewhere [WET - Up to 12 weeks].

8. Eastern Europe:

STILL UNSEASONABLY MILD
Weekly departures of +6°C to +11°C dominated northern Scandinavia and interior portions of the Balkans while readings were 3°C to 6°C above normal elsewhere. Lows remained above -10°C throughout eastern Europe, with readings failing to reach freezing at many locations along the Baltic Sea. The mercury soared past 20°C as far north as Hungary and climbed above freezing across the entire region [WARM - Up to 9 weeks].

9. Southeastern Europe:

VERY DRY WEATHER CONTINUES
In sharp contrast to western and central Europe (Item 7 above), little or no precipitation fell on southeastern Europe. Since late September, less than 150 mm of rain has fallen on the region, allowing moisture deficits of 50 to 150 mm to accumulate [DRY - Up to 16 weeks].

10. Southeastern Africa:

HEAVY RAINS DRENCH ZIMBABWE
Between 50 and 200 mm of rain soaked northern and eastern Zimbabwe while 10 to 50 mm fell on the remaining portions of the country. [WET - Up to 6 weeks].

11. Southern Siberia:

BITTERLY COLD WEATHER DOMINATES
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 10°C below normal across northern Irkutsk while weekly departures of -3°C to -6°C prevailed across the remainder of southern Siberia. Lows of -20°C to -45°C dominated the region while highs remained below freezing throughout the week [COLD - Up to 6 weeks].

12. East-Central China:

SIBERIAN AIR MASS PUSHES SOUTHWARD
Cold weather, characterized by weekly departures of -2°C to -6°C, dominated east-central China. Subfreezing lows penetrated as far south as 30°N while the mercury approached -10°C across the northern fringes of the region. Readings remained below 20°C at most locations north of 30°N [COLD - 2 weeks].

13. Southeastern China:

LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINS REPORTED
Moderate precipitation (25 to 50 mm) fell on northern Jiangxi, northern Hunan, eastern Henan, northern and eastern Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai while only light rains (10 to 25 mm) were measured elsewhere. Between September 24 and November 18, 100 to 400 mm of rain has fallen on the region, yielding moisture surpluses of 50 to 250 mm [WET - Up to 11 weeks].

14. Southern Japan:

WARM ANOMALY ABATES
Temperatures averaged 1°C to 3°C above normal, with locally higher departures approaching +4°C. The mercury remained above freezing at most locations while highs exceeded 20°C in parts of southern Japan, and climbed above 25°C on the Ryukyus [WARM - Up to 23 weeks].

15. Eastern Australia:

TORRENTIAL RAINS DOUSE EASTERN NEW SOUTH WALES, EAST-CENTRAL QUEENSLAND, AND EASTERN VICTORIA
Heavy thunderstorms dumped 100 to 300 mm of rain on parts of eastern Victoria, the eastern half of new South Wales, and the coast of east-central Queensland while 25 to 100 mm dampened the remainder of the two provinces. Precipitation totals for the last 8 weeks ranged from 100 to 450 mm, resulting in moisture excesses of 50 to 360 mm [WET - Up to 8 weeks].

16. Northeastern Australia:

UNSEASONABLY COOL CONDITIONS CONTINUE
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 4°C below normal, with lows falling below 20°C as far north as central Queensland. The mercury failed to reach 30°C along the Queensland coast [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].