Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for July 7, 2001

1. Western and Central United States:

WARM ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Temperatures averaging 2°C to 5°C above normal dominated the Intermountain West, Rockies, and High Plains, with weekly departures reaching +6°C in parts of Wyoming and Montana. The mercury climbed above 40°C across the desert Southwest, Utah, and the central High Plains, with highs in the thirties (°C) elsewhere. Readings remained above 20°C throughout the desert Southwest [WARM - Up to 3 weeks].

2. Central United States:

UNUSUALLY DRY CONDITIONS DEVELOP
Little or no rain fell on northwestern Texas, eastern New Mexico, eastern Colorado, Oklahoma, western Kansas, and southwestern Nebraska during the past 4 weeks. The unusually dry weather during the past 4 to 6 weeks has allowed short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 190 mm to accumulate. Please see the United States Drought Monitor for complete details [DRY - Up to 6 weeks].

3. West Virginia:

SIGNIFICANT FLOODING REPORTED
The media reported that serious flooding resulted from heavy precipitation (up to 130 mm) in parts of West Virginia during last weekend (July 7-8) [Episodic Events].

4. Southern Europe:

DRYNESS CONTINUES
Little or no rain fell in the lower elevations of southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Germany while moderate rains of up to 50 mm dampened much of the higher elevations. Since May 13th, less than 100 mm has fallen (except in the higher elevations) as moisture deficits of 50 to 160 mm have accumulated [DRY - Up to 12 weeks].

5. Southern Europe and Northwestern Africa:

WARM ANOMALY EXPANDS NORTHWARD
Temperatures were 2°C to 4°C above normal from northeastern Morocco and northern Algeria northward through eastern Spain and southern France to southern Germany. The mercury soared above 40°C in northeastern Algeria while readings reached 30°C as far north as central France and southern Germany. The mercury remained above 20°C at some locations in northeastern Algeria, eastern Spain, southeastern France, and Italy [WARM - Up to 8 weeks].

6. Western Asian Russia:

WETNESS CONTINUES
Scattered thunderstorms spread moderate to heavy rains (25 to 80 mm) across south central Siberia. During the last 8 weeks, rainfall totaled 100 to 250 mm, resulting in short-term moisture excesses of 50 to 160 mm [WET - Up to 13 weeks].

7. East-Central Asia:

DRYNESS PREVAILS
Little or no rain again fell on much of northern Nei Mongol and Heilongjiang Provinces of China and the adjacent portions of Russia. Showers of 25 to 60 mm, however, relieved dryness in parts of Russia and southern Heilongjiang. Since the middle of May, less than 100 mm as fallen on most of the region, yielding moisture deficits of 50 to 130 mm [DRY - Up to 18 weeks].

8. Central and Eastern Asia:

VERY WARM WEATHER DOMINATES
Weekly departures of +6°C to +9°C covered north-central Siberia while temperatures were 2°C to 6°C above normal across central Siberia, eastern Mongolia, the central and eastern portions of China, and most of Korea and Japan. Highs in the thirties (°C) covered most of China, eastern Mongolia, central Siberia, the Korean Peninsula, and the southern and central sections of Japan while the mercury soared above 40°C at a few locations in north-central and northwestern China. The remainder of the region experienced highs in the twenties (°C). Lows remained above 20°C across most of eastern Asia south of 40°C north while subfreezing lows were restricted to higher elevations of central China [WARM - Up to 12 weeks].

9. Southeastern China, Vietnam, and the Philippines:

TYPHOON UTOR BATTERS REGION
Typhoon Utor struck the northern Philippines with high winds (gusts up to 185 kph) and torrential rain (150 to 250 mm) before smashing into Hong Kong and Guangdong Province of China. Remnants of Typhoon Durian brought additional heavy rain (up to 330 mm total) to Guangxi Province and northern Vietnam earlier in the week. Media sources reported that dozens of people were killed from floods and mudslides resulting from the heavy rains of the two typhoons [Episodic Events].

10 . Northwestern India:

SUBNORMAL TEMPERATURES PERSIST
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 4°C below normal across northwestern India, with the largest negative departures reported in northwestern Madyah Pradesh. Lows dipped below 22°C as far south as 23°N [COLD - Up to 5 weeks].