Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for January 20, 2001

1. Northwestern United States:

ABNORMALLY DRY WEATHER RETURNS
Fewer than 25 mm of precipitation fell on most of the region again last week as unusually dry conditions redeveloped. Only a few favored coastal locations received 25 to 100 mm of precipitation. Although most of the Pacific Northwest received 100 to 250 mm of precipitation during the last 8 weeks, shortfalls ranged from 100 to 200 mm [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].

2. South-Central United States:

HEAVY RAINS REPORTED
Between 50 and 200 mm of rain soaked eastern Texas and adjacent parts of Louisiana and Arkansas last week. Short-term (8-week) moisture excesses were generally less than 100 mm, but approached 115 mm at Shreveport, Louisiana [WET - Up to 7 weeks].

3. Eastern North America:

DRY CONDITIONS DEVELOP
Little or no precipitation fell across the region, except for light to moderate amounts (10 to 50 mm) along and east of the western foothills of the Appalachians. Despite the unusually dry weather, 8-week moisture deficits were generally less than 100 mm [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].

4. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco:

WETNESS EASES
Storms brought moderate rain (25 to 50 mm) to parts of northwestern Spain and northern Portugal while little or no rain fell on the remainder of the region. During the last 8 weeks, 200 to 500 mm has fallen over most of the area, yielding moisture excesses of 65 to 350 mm. In addition, some coastal locations received up to 950 mm of precipitation during the last 8 weeks [WET - Up to 21 weeks].

5. Southern Europe and Northeastern Africa:

WARMTH CONTINUES
Warm weather continued to prevail over the central and eastern Mediterranean littoral as temperatures averaged 2°C to 6°C above normal. The mercury reached into the middle to upper teens (°C) over parts of the region [WARM - Up to 18 weeks].

6. Madagascar:

HEAVY RAINS REPORTED
More than 200 mm of rain inundated western Madagascar [Episodic Event].

7. East-Central Asia:

COLD ANOMALY SHIFTS SOUTHEASTWARD
Cold weather dominated across southeastern Siberia as temperatures averaged 3°C to 7°C below normal, and the mercury plunged to -45°C at Poliny Osipenko, Russia (65°N). The bitterly cold conditions, characterized by weekly departures of  -3°C to -5°C, spread across northwestern China, the Korean Peninsula, and most of Japan [COLD - Up to 15 weeks].

8. Australia:

HEAT WAVE CONTINUES
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 9°C above normal across eastern South Australia and extreme western New South Wales while weekly departures of +2°C to +6°C dominated the southern half of Australia. Weekly high temperatures ranged from 40°C to 46°C across the interior portions of Australia while readings of 30°C to 39°C prevailed across Victoria and along the coasts of Western Australia, South Australia, and New South Wales [WARM - Up to 9 weeks].

9. Southeastern Australia:

DRYNESS AGGRAVATED BY HIGH TEMPERATURES
Little or no rain fell on New South Wales and Victoria, except for 10 to 50 mm at some coastal locations of New South Wales. The unusually dry conditions were exacerbated by very high temperatures (item 7 above). Precipitation totals were generally less than 100 mm for the last 8 weeks, except for 100 to 200 mm at a few coastal locations. Short-term moisture deficits of 100 to 125 mm were reported along the coast, but shortfalls were generally less than 100 mm elsewhere [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].