Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for September 1, 2001

1. Western United States and Southwestern Canada:

HIGH TEMPERATURES EXACERBATE WILDFIRES
Temperatures averaging 2°C to 5°C above normal combined with gusty winds and low relative humidities to aggravate seasonal dryness, especially in the northwestern United States, where wildfires were occurring. Highs were generally in the thirties (°C), but exceeded 40°C at a few locations in the northern California interior. See the United States Drought Monitor for more details [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

2. Northeastern United States:

STILL UNUSUALLY DRY
Although 25 to 100 mm of rain has fallen on the St. Lawrence River Valley and scattered showers delivered 25 to 100 mm of rain to parts of New England, much of the region has received fewer than 25 mm of precipitation. Since July 8, the region has received 25 to 140 mm, allowing precipitation shortfalls to range from 50 to 150 mm. See the United States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 11 weeks].

3. Southeastern United States:

UNFAVORABLY DRY CONDITIONS RETURN
Central and northern peninsular Florida and parts of southern Georgia received 25 to 100 mm of rain, but fewer than 25 mm of rain fell on southern Florida, central and eastern Georgia, central and western South Carolina, and western North Carolina. Precipitation during the last 8 weeks totaled as little as 50 mm in North Carolina to as much as 340 mm in Florida, with short-term moisture deficits generally ranging from 50 to 140 mm. See the United States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].

4. Mexico and the Caribbean Basin:

HIGHLY VARIABLE RAINS REPORTED; RELATIVELY QUIET HURRICANE SEASON
Torrential rains (100 to 200 mm) drenched northern Vera Cruz and southeastern San Luis Potosi provinces while scattered showers brought 25 to 100 mm of rain to central portions of Guanajuato and Vera Cruz. Fewer than 25 mm of rain fell on the remainder of Mexico. Between July 8 and September 1, precipitation totals ranged from none all the way up to 545 mm, resulting in shortfalls of 50 to 400 mm [DRY - Up to 17 weeks]. Since the beginning of the tropical storm season in June, only 5 named Atlantic tropical storms have occurred, with none of them reaching hurricane strength. The lack of storms has contributed to the low rainfall totals across the Caribbean Basin [Episodic Events].

5. Central and Southern South America:

WARM ANOMALY EXPANDS
Temperatures averaging 2°C to 6°C above normal dominated South America from Paraguay and southern Brazil southward through central Argentina. Highs exceeded 30°C as far south as northern Uruguay while readings in the twenties prevailed down to central Buenos Aires province. Subfreezing lows were generally restricted to the portions of South America south of 40°S, except at higher elevations [WARM - Up to 5 weeks].

6. East-Central South America:

UNUSUALLY WET CONDITIONS DEVELOP
Moderate to heavy precipitation (25 to 100 mm) soaked central and western Uruguay and northeastern Argentina during the past week. During the last 8 weeks, 100 to 300 mm of precipitation has fallen, allowing short-term moisture surpluses of 50 to 200 mm to accumulate, with the largest excesses reported in eastern Buenos Aires Province of eastern Argentina [WET - Up to 7 weeks].

7. Europe:

WARM WEATHER CONTINUES
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 5°C above normal across the region, with locally higher departures (up to +8°C) in parts of Austria and Germany. Highs generally ranged from 30°C to 37°C across the region, except at higher elevations where readings were in the twenties (°C). Subfreezing lows were restricted to the higher elevations while the mercury remained above 20°C along the Mediterranean Sea [WARM - Up to 16 weeks].

8. Central Europe:

MOISTURE DEFICITS PERSIST
Moderate rains (25 to 100 mm) brought relief to the Alps, southeastern Germany, and western Czech Republic while locally heavy precipitation (up to 200 mm) fell on the northwestern Italian Alps. Elsewhere, generally less than 25 mm of rain were observed from southeastern France eastward to Romania and western Ukraine. During the past 8 weeks, fewer than 100 mm of rain accumulated across the region, except for totals of 100 to 260 mm at some Alpine locations. Short-term precipitation shortfalls of 100 to 170 mm were reported in parts of Austria, Hungary, western Romania, and northern Italy while moisture deficits ranged from 50 to 100 mm elsewhere [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].

9. Western Africa:

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS BRING SOME RELIEF
Between 100 and 200 mm of rain soaked western Burkina Faso while 25 to 100 mm fell on southern Senegal and southwestern Mali. Little or no precipitation was reported further north. Short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 140 mm were reported at a couple of locations, but reliable surface and historical precipitation data are lacking in most areas [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].

10. Southern Africa:

MORE COLD WEATHER
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 5°C below normal across most of central and southern Namibia, southwestern Botswana, and western South Africa during the past week. Subfreezing lows dominated western South Africa and southwestern Botswana while the mercury dipped below 10°C elsewhere. Highs were generally in the twenties (°C), but readings at a few locations managed to reach 30°C [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].

11. Asian Russia:

ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES DOMINATE
Weekly departures of +6°C to +13°C prevailed across south-central Siberia around Lake Baykal while temperatures were 2°C to 6°C above normal elsewhere. The mercury approached 32°C as far north as Olovjannaja (51°N) and exceeded 20°C at Verhne-Imbatskoe (63°N). Readings remained above freezing across the region [WARM - Up to 20 weeks].

12. Australia:

NEGATIVE TEMPERATURE DEPARTURES PREVAIL
Weekly temperatures departures ranged from -2°C to -5°C across much of Australia, with the largest departures reported in Queensland. Lows were generally below 10°C, with the mercury plummeting to -1°C at Alice Springs (24°S). Highs were generally in the thirties (°C) across northern portions of Queensland and Northern Territory, and in the twenties (°C) elsewhere [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].