Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for May 26, 2001

1. Western United States:

EARLY-SEASON HEAT
Temperatures were 2°C to 6°C above normal across the western United States from the Pacific Coast eastward to the western Rockies, with locally higher weekly departures of +7°C to +8°C in California, Nevada, and Oregon. Highs of 40°C to 43°C prevailed across southeastern California, southern Arizona, and southern Nevada while readings in the thirties (°C) dominated the West, except for twenties (°C) along the Pacific Coast [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

2. Northern Rockies and Northern High Plains:

LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION REPORTED
For the 6th consecutive week, little or no rain fell on Montana, eastern Idaho, northwestern Wyoming, and northern Utah; however, 8-week moisture deficits were only 50 to 100 mm (See the United States Drought Monitor for details) [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].

3. Great Lakes Region:

VERY WET WEATHER CONTINUES
Most of the Great Lakes Region received 25 to 50 mm of rain, with 50 to 100 mm falling on eastern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, northwestern Illinois, and much of Ohio. Between 100 and 400 mm of rain has fallen on the western and central Great Lakes region since the beginning of April, allowing moisture surpluses of 50 to 230 mm to accumulate [WET - Up to 10 weeks].

4. New England:

STILL VERY DRY IN MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND VERMONT; RAINS BRING RELIEF TO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
Fewer than 10 mm of rain fell on northern and central New England while 25 to 100 mm fell on Massachusetts. Meanwhile, heavy rain (50 to 200 mm) soaked most of Connecticut and Rhode Island. New England has received 40 to 120 mm of rain since the beginning of April, yielding 8-week shortfalls of 50 to 140 mm (See the United States Drought Monitor for details) [DRY - Up to 12 weeks].

5. Southeastern United States:

ALABAMA AND FLORIDA RECEIVE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN
Between 25 and 50 mm of rain dampened most of Alabama, with showers dropping 50 to 100 mm on central Alabama. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rains (25 to 100 mm, locally higher amounts of up to 200 mm) brought relief to eastern and southern Florida. Only light rain (up to 25 mm) was reported in Georgia and the northern and western portions of Florida. The very dry weather exacerbated wildfire conditions in central Florida. Since April 1, fewer than 140 mm of rain has fallen on the Southeast, resulting in short-term moisture shortages of 50 to 200 mm (See the United States Drought Monitor for details) [DRY - Up to 12 weeks].

6. Bolivia:

COLD POCKET REMAINS
Weekly departures of -2°C to -4°C covered central Bolivia, with lows of -9°C to -12°C at some of the higher elevations. The mercury failed to reach 30°C across most of the region [COLD - Up to 6 weeks].

7. Central Europe:

DRYNESS CONTINUES
Little or no rain again fell on most of the region from southern Finland southward across the Alps. Since the first of April, less the 50 mm of precipitation has fallen (except in the Alps), with moisture deficits of 50 to 180 mm accumulating in most of the area [DRY - Up to 6 weeks].

8. Turkey:

WETNESS EASES
Favorably dry weather prevailed across Turkey, bringing an end to the unusual wetness of the last several weeks. During the last 8 weeks, precipitation has totaled 100 to 210 mm, yielding moisture surpluses of  60 to 100 mm [WET - Ending at 10 weeks].

9. Central Asia:

WARMTH REMAINS
Temperature departures of +2°C to +7°C continued over southwestern Siberia southward to central Pakistan and eastern Iran. Temperatures soared into the mid to upper forties (°C) in central Pakistan, and reached as high as 37°C at Turkestan, Kazakhstan (43°N) [WARM - Up to 5 weeks].

10. East-Central Asia:

DRY WEATHER CONTINUES
Little or no rain fell from Shaanxi and Hubei Provinces of eastern China northeastward across Hokkaido and northern Honshu Islands of northern Japan. Since April 1st, moisture deficits of 50 to 200 mm have accumulated over most of the region [DRY - Up to 13 weeks].

11. Japan, Korea, and Eastern China:

MORE HOT WEATHER
Temperatures averaged of 2°C to 6°C above normal for the week across Shaanxi, Hubei, and Zhejiang Provinces of eastern and northeastern China, extreme southeastern Siberia, and all of Japan.  The mercury again reached 40°C as far north as Chaoyang, China (42°N) [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].

12. Northeastern and North-Central Australia:

UNUSUALLY COOL CONDITIONS PREVAIL
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 4°C below normal across Queensland, Northern Territory, and adjacent parts of Western Australia. The mercury dropped below 5°C as far north as Camooweal (20°S) while readings fell below 20°C across most of the region, except at northern coastal locations. Highs above 30°C were restricted to northwestern Queensland and the northern half of the Northern Territory [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].

13. Queensland Coast:

DRY ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Little or no rain has fallen on coastal locations of Queensland during the past 5 weeks. Since April 1, moisture shortages of 50 to 230 mm accumulated along the coast [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].