1. California:
ABNORMALLY DRY WEATHER CONTINUES
No precipitation was reported across most of California, with only scanty
amounts (less than 10 mm) falling on the higher elevations of the Sierra
Nevada. Fewer than 100 mm of precipitation was reported across the southern
half of California during the last 8 weeks, allowing moisture shortages
to remain in the 50 to 125 mm range. Meanwhile, 8-week totals across northern
California ranged from 10 to 135 mm, with precipitation shortfalls of 50
to 185 mm [DRY - Up to 6 weeks].
2. Eastern and South-Central United States:
STILL UNUSUALLY COLD
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 9°C below normal across the southeastern
United States while weekly departures of -3°C to -6°C dominated
the southern Plains, Ohio River Valley, and mid-Atlantic. Lows dipped below
-10°C as far south as east-central Mississippi and northern Alabama
while the mercury plummeted below -20°C in northeastern Oklahoma and
northwestern Arkansas [COLD - Up to 10 weeks].
3. East-Central Argentina:
DRY POCKET REMAINS
Little or no rain fell on western Buenos Aires and eastern La Pampa provinces
of east-central Argentina. During the last 8 weeks, precipitation totaled
less than 200 mm, allowing short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 150 mm
to persist [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].
4. Western Europe:
HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE TO LASH WESTERN PORTIONS OF FRANCE AND
THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
Torrential rains (100 to 200 mm) drenched extreme western France, northwestern
Spain, and the northern half of Portugal, with 25 to 100 mm falling on
the eastern fringes of the region. Since mid-November, 100 to 500 mm of
precipitation fell on most locations, generating short-term moisture excesses
of 50 to 200 mm. Meanwhile, locally heavier 8-week totals (up to 1100 mm)
yielded moisture surpluses of up to 720 mm [WET - Up to 19 weeks].
5. Southern Europe, Southwestern Asia, and Northern Africa:
STILL UNSEASONABLY MILD
Weekly departures of +2°C to +5°C dominated southwestern and south-central
Europe, while departures reached as high as +6°C in southeastern Europe,
and +12°C in western Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, temperatures averaged 2°C
to 6°C above normal across northern Africa. The mercury climbed above
freezing throughout the region while highs soared above 20°C across
northern Africa and along the Mediterranean coast of southwestern and south-central
Europe. Lows remained above freezing at most Mediterranean locations and
failed to reach -10°C throughout the depicted region [WARM - Up to
16 weeks].
6. Western Africa:
HOT WEATHER DOMINATES
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 5°C above normal across western Africa,
with locally higher departures of +6°C to +9°C. Highs of 30°C
to 39°C prevailed across the region while the mercury soared above
40°C in parts of southern Mali. Lows remained above 20°C along
the Gulf of Guinea Coast [WARM - Up to 5 weeks].
7. Siberia and Northeastern China:
LARGE NEGATIVE TEMPERATURE DEPARTURES AND BITTER COLD PREVAILS
ACROSS REGION
Weekly departures of -10°C to -22°C dominated central Siberia while
readings were 6°C to 10°C below normal across the remainder of
south-central and southwestern Siberia. Meanwhile, temperatures averaged
2°C to 6°C below normal across Manchuria. The mercury plummeted
below -40°C across most of the region while highs failed to reach -20°C
across the northern fringes. Temperatures remained below 10°C elsewhere
[COLD - Up to 13 weeks].
8. Northeastern Australia:
COOL WEATHER PERSISTS WHILE RAINS ABATE
Moderate to heavy rains (25 to 200 mm) were restricted to the Cape York
Peninsula of northeastern Queensland, but little or no rain was measured
elsewhere. During the past 8 weeks, precipitation totals ranged from 150
to 700 mm, resulting in moisture excesses of 100 to 470 mm [WET - Ending
at 15 weeks]. Temperatures averaged 2°C to 5°C below normal again
last week, but highs generally reached or exceeded 30°C. The mercury
dipped below 20°C across the southern halves of Queensland and Northern
Territory [COLD - Up to 6 weeks].
9. Southeastern Australia:
UNUSUALLY DRY CONDITIONS DEVELOP
Fewer than 25 mm of rain fell on eastern New South Wales as abnormal dryness
developed across the region. Precipitation totals for the last 8 weeks
remained below 120 mm, but shortfalls were generally less than 100 mm [DRY
- Up to 6 weeks].