1. Eastern United States:
MOISTURE DEFICITS DOMINATE ATLANTIC SEABOARD
Little or no precipitation fell on the Atlantic Seaboard from eastern Georgia
northward to southwestern Connecticut. Between November 25, 2001 and February
23, 2002, only 100 to 230 mm of precipitation fell on the region, resulting
in 13-week moisture shortages of 50 to 150 mm. Please see the United
States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].
2. Northeastern Canada:
BITTERLY COLD AIR RETREATS NORTHEASTWARD
Weekly departures of -3°C to -6°C dominated northeastern Canada,
with locally larger negative departures to -15°C. The mercury remained
below -20°C throughout the week, with lows ranging from -30°C to
-50°C [COLD - Up to 6 weeks].
3. Western and Central Europe:
WET ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Between 50 and 100 mm of precipitation soaked Northern Ireland, Scotland,
northwestern England, the Benelux Countries, and eastern France while 25
to 50 mm fell on the remainder of the area. Since late December, 100 to
500 mm of precipitation has accumulated, resulting in short-term moisture
surpluses of 50 to 120 mm [WET - Up to 7 weeks].
4. Northwestern Africa and Southeastern Europe:
ABNORMAL DRYNESS PERSISTS
Little or no rain fell on the region, except for 10 to 50 mm at a few locations
in extreme northeastern Algeria, northwestern Tunisia, and western Turkey.
Generally less than 100 mm of precipitation has been reported during the
last 8 weeks, yielding short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 160 mm in
northwestern Africa, and 50 to 300 mm in Turkey and southeastern Europe.
Dryness in northwestern Africa is of particular concern as the climatological
dry time of year approaches [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].
5. Southeastern Africa:
STILL VERY DRY
Although 25 to 100 mm of rain brought relief to northern Zimbabwe and southern
Zambia, most of southeastern Africa received little or no rain again last
week. During the past 8 weeks, rainfall totals were below 170 mm in northeastern
South Africa and less than 325 mm in southern Mozambique, yielding precipitation
shortfalls of 50 to 240 mm [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].
6. Asia and Eastern Europe:
UNUSUALLY MILD CONDITIONS OVERSPREAD REGION
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 15°C above normal from the Ukraine
eastward across central Asia to east-central Siberia and north-central
China while readings were 2°C to 6°C above normal elsewhere. The
mercury pushed above the freezing mark across eastern Europe and much of
central Asia, but stayed below freezing in north-central Kazakhstan, northern
Mongolia, and central Siberia. Highs were in the thirties (°C) across
India and the Indochinese Peninsula while readings in the twenties (°C)
dominated southern China and the remainder of southern Asia. Meanwhile,
temperatures remained above freezing as far north as 32°N in China
and southern Asia [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].
7. Central Australia:
COOL AIR REMAINS ENTRENCHED
Weekly departures of -3°C to -5°C prevailed across northern South
Australia, southern Northern Territory, and eastern Western Australia,
with lows below 10°C as far north as Ceduna (32°S), and below 20°C
throughout the region. Meanwhile, highs were generally in the thirties
(°C) [COLD - Up to 4 weeks].