1. West-Central North America:
COLD AIR SHIFTS EASTWARD
Weekly departures of -2°C to -6°C dominated the northern Plains
and southern Prairie Provinces, with lows plummeting below -20°C in
much of Manitoba and parts of Montana, and lows reaching -10°C as far
south as southern Nebraska. The mercury failed to reach 20°C across
the region, except in southern Nebraska [COLD - Up to 5 weeks].
2. North-Central United States:
DRY ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Fewer than 10 mm of precipitation were observed across the region, except
for isolated totals of 10 to 50 mm in northwestern Minnesota and central
Iowa. Less than 25 mm of precipitation accumulated during the last 4 weeks,
with 28-day totals among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution
[DRY - Up to 6 weeks].
3. Central South America:
WARM WEATHER OVERSPREADS REGION
Temperatures were 2°C to 5°C above normal across the interior of
central South America. The mercury soared above 30°C from northern
Argentina northward while readings remained above 20°C north of 30°S
[WARM - Up to 5 weeks].
4. East-Central South America:
EXCESSIVE RAINS CONTINUE
Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 200 mm) drenched northern Argentina, Uruguay,
and the southern portions of Paraguay and Brazil, with isolated heavier
amounts (200 to 500 mm) reported at a few locations in Chaco, Cordoba,
and Entre Rios provinces of Argentina, and in west-central Uruguay. During
the last 8 weeks, 200 to 800 mm of rain has fallen, resulting in short-term
moisture surpluses of 100 to 350 mm [WET - Up to 9 weeks].
5. Southern South America:
COLD AIR PUSHES NORTHWARD
In sharp contrast to central South America, unusually cold weather, with
weekly departures of -2°C to -5°C prevailed across the central
and southern sections of Chile and Argentina. Subfreezing lows pushed as
far north as 40°S while the mercury failed to reach 30°C [COLD
- 2 weeks].
6. Western Africa:
ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES REPORTED
Temperatures were 2°C to 4°C above normal last week, with highs
of 40°C to 44°C throughout the western Sahel [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].
7. Southeastern South Africa:
STILL VERY DRY
Scanty rainfall totals (less than 10 mm) dominated Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique,
and northeastern South Africa. During the last 3 months, precipitation
totaled 100 to 500 mm of rain, allowing 13-week moisture deficits of 100
to 300 mm to prevail across the region [DRY - Up to 12 weeks].
8. Southwestern Asia:
LARGE POSITIVE TEMPERATURE DEPARTURES DOMINATE
Unseasonably mild weather, characterized by temperatures averaging 6°C
to 11°C above normal, prevailed across Kazakhstan and southwestern
Siberia while readings were 2°C to 6°C above normal elsewhere.
Highs exceeded 30°C in southern Kazakhstan while the mercury climbed
above 20°C across the southern half of the region. Lows remained above
-10°C throughout, except in parts of Siberia [WARM - Up to 10 weeks].
9. Eastern Asia:
UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER PERSISTS
Weekly temperature departures of +2°C to +6°C covered much of eastern
Asia from central China eastward across Japan, with the highest departures
reported in north-central China. Highs were in the twenties (°C) across
most of China, with readings in the thirties (°C) across the southern
coast. The mercury stayed above freezing across the southern half of the
region, but lows reached -20°C across the northern fringes [WARM -
Up to 10 weeks].
10. Northern Australia:
UNUSUALLY DRY CONDITIONS SPREAD
Little or no rain fell across northern Australia, with the exception of
10 to 50 mm along the coasts of northwestern Northern Territory and northeastern
Western Australia. Although tropical coastal Australia received 100 to
730 mm of rain since late December, 13-weeks moisture shortages ranged
from 100 to 800 mm. Drier interior regions received fewer than 100 mm of
rain during the last 13 weeks, yielding precipitation shortfalls of 50
to 100 mm [DRY - Up to 11 weeks].