1. North America:
BITTERLY COLD AIR REMAINS ENTRENCHED
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 12°C below normal across much of Canada
and adjacent Alaska while readings were generally 2°C to 6°C below
normal in the northern and western United States. Lows ranged from -20°C
to -41°C across Alaska, Canada, and the High Plains of the United States
while readings dropped below freezing elsewhere. The mercury remained below
freezing across most of Alaska and central Canada [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].
2. Eastern United States:
MOISTURE DEFICITS DOMINATE REGION
Abnormally dry weather continued across the region, where weekly totals
were generally less than 25 mm, except in coastal North Carolina (25 to
200 mm) and the Delmarva Peninsula (25 to 50 mm). During the past 13 weeks,
precipitation totaled only 100 to 300 mm, yielding 3-month moisture shortages
of 50 to 200 mm. Please see the United
States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 13 weeks].
3. Eastern Canada:
WET WEATHER EASES
Except for isolated moderate precipitation (25 to 50 mm) in Quebec, weekly
totals were generally less than 25 mm. Precipitation totaled 100 to 220
mm during the past 8 weeks, resulting in short-term moisture surpluses
of 50 to 120 mm [WET - Up to 7 weeks].
4. Central South America:
WARM ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Weekly temperatures averaged 2°C to 6°C above normal across Paraguay,
Uruguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina, with highs in the thirties
(°C) across the entire region. The mercury remained above 20°C
as far south as central Uruguay and the Argentine Province of Entre Rios
[WARM - Up to 3 weeks].
5. East-Central South America:
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL CONTINUES
Between 50 and 200 mm of rain drenched Uruguay, extreme southern Brazil,
and Buenos Aires Province of Argentina last week. Since January 20, the
region has endured 200 to 600 mm of rain, which resulted in short-term
moisture excesses of 50 to 200 mm [WET - Up to 7 weeks].
6. Europe:
MORE FAVORABLY DRY WEATHER
Little or no precipitation fell on central and northern Europe, with totals
of 10 to 50 mm restricted to Northern Ireland and Belgium. Despite the
dry week, 56-day totals generally ranged from 100 to 500 mm, yielding moisture
surpluses of 50 to 150 mm [WET - Ending at 10 weeks].
7. Northwestern Africa, Southeastern Europe, and Western Turkey:
EXCESSIVELY DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST
Little or no rain fell on the northern sections of Algeria and Tunisia
and in western Turkey during the past week while Greece received 10 to
50 mm. Fewer than 125 mm of rain accumulated at most locations since January
20, resulting in precipitation shortfalls of 50 to 150 mm. [DRY - Up to 11 weeks].
8. Southeastern Africa:
STILL VERY DRY, EXCEPT FOR SHOWERS ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN FRINGES
Scanty precipitation (less than 25 mm) dominated Zimbabwe, eastern Botswana,
northeastern South Africa, and southern Mozambique; however, 25 to 100
mm of rain fell on northeastern Zimbabwe and the central coast of Mozambique.
With 8-week rainfall totals generally below 200 mm, short-term moisture
deficits ranged from 50 to 250 mm [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].
9. Asia, Southeastern Europe, and Northeastern Africa:
UNSEASONABLY MILD CONDITIONS PREVAIL
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 13°C above normal across Russia, Kazakhstan,
and China, with locally higher weekly temperature departures reaching +18°C.
Meanwhile, weekly departures of +6°C to +9°C dominated Iran and
Turkey, and readings were 2°C to 6°C above normal elsewhere. Highs
in the thirties (°C) dominated northeastern Africa and south-central
China, and in the twenties (°C) in Turkey and much of China and Japan.
The mercury climbed above freezing as far north as 63°N in Siberia
[WARM - Up to 8 weeks].
10. East-Central China:
PRECIPITATION SHIFTS SOUTHWARD
Favorably dry weather (less than 25 mm of rain) prevailed from eastern
Sichuan northeastward through Jiangsu, but 25 to 100 mm of rain fell on
a swath from eastern Guizhou northeastward to Zhejiang. Between January
20 and March 16, precipitation totaled 130 to 340 mm, resulting in 8-week
moisture surpluses of 50 to 150 mm [WET - Up to 7 weeks].
11. Southeastern China:
SHOWERS BRING RELIEF TO NORTHERN FRINGES; STILL VERY DRY ELSEWHERE
Between 25 and 100 mm of precipitation eased dryness in northeastern Guangxi,
northern Guangdong, and the northwestern half of Fujian while little or
none occurred elsewhere. Generally 50 to 200 mm of precipitation accumulated
during the last 8 weeks, yielding short-term moisture deficits of 50 to
200 mm [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].