Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for August 11, 2001

1. Mexico and South-Central United States:

ABNORMALLY DRY WEATHER CONTINUES
Except for isolated light to moderate rain showers (25 to 50 mm) in parts of Texas and Mexico, fewer than 25 mm of rain was measured across the region. Short-term moisture shortages of 50 to 250 mm resulted from 8-week precipitation generally totaling less than 100 mm across the region [DRY - Up to 14 weeks].

2. Eastern North America:

WARM ANOMALY SHIFTS EASTWARD AND BEGINS TO ABATE
Temperatures averaging 2°C to 6°C above normal prevailed across the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, with locally higher departures (up to +8°C) in parts of southern Ontario. The mercury soared to 40°C in the vicinity of New York City while highs in the thirties (°C) dominated the United States, Ontario, and southern Quebec. Lows remained above freezing across the region [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].

3. Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada:

DRY ANOMALY REMAINS INTACT
Scattered light to moderate rain showers (25 to 50 mm) were restricted to the eastern Corn Belt and mid-Atlantic during the past week, while the remainder of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada received little or no rain. Fewer than 125 mm of rain has fallen on the region during the past 8 weeks, allowing short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 150 mm to persist. See the United States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].

4. Central South America:

STILL VERY DRY
Little or no rain fell on Paraguay, southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and northwestern Uruguay again last week. During the last 8 weeks, fewer than 150 mm of rain was recorded, yielding precipitation shortfalls of 50 to 150 mm [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].

5. East-Central Europe:

MORE WET WEATHER
Moderate to heavy rains (25 to 100 mm) soaked southeastern Poland, eastern Czech Republic, central Slovakia, and most of Austria while lesser amounts (10 to 25 mm) were reported elsewhere. Between 100 and 400 mm of rain has fallen on east-central Europe since June 17, resulting in short-term moisture surpluses of 50 to 250 mm [WET - Up to 11 weeks].

6. Southeastern Europe, Northeastern Africa, and Southwestern Asia:

WARM ANOMALY EXPANDS
Weekly departures of +2°C to +5°C dominated southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and northeastern Africa, with highs of 40°C to 46°C prevailing across interior northeastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and southern Turkey. The mercury soared above 30°C across the remainder of the region. Readings remained above 30°C from northern Sudan northeastward to the Persian Gulf while the mercury stayed above 20°C to the south of 37°N [WARM - Up to 13 weeks].

7. Western and Central Siberia and Mongolia:

ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES PREVAIL
Weekly temperature departures of +3°C to +6°C dominated western and south-central Siberia and the western sections of Mongolia, with locally higher departures approaching +7°C in west-central Siberia. Highs reached 30°C as far north as Turukhansk (66°N), and the mercury remained above the freezing mark across the entire area [WARM - Up to 17 weeks].

8. South-Central China and Northern Indochinese Peninsula:

TROPICAL STORM USAGI BRINGS HEAVY RAINS
Torrential downpours (100 to 500 mm), fueled by the remnants of Tropical Storm Usagi, inundated central Vietnam and much of Thailand this past week [Episodic Event].

9. Japan:

PRECIPITATION DEFICITS REMAIN
Little or no rain fell on central Honshu, but 25 to 50 mm were reported in western Honshu. During the last 8 weeks, 100 to 300 mm of rain has fallen on most of the archipelago, with the highest amounts (up to 1000 mm) at orographically-favored locations. Highly variable short-term moisture deficits ranged from 50 to 450 mm [DRY - Up to 11 weeks].