Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for July 13, 2002

1. Alaska:

COLD WEATHER EASES
Temperatures were generally within 2°C of normal as highs climbed above 20°C and lows remained above freezing [COLD - Ending at 3 weeks].

2. North America:

HIGH TEMPERATURES EXACERBATE DRYNESS
Temperatures averaging 2°C to 6°C above normal, with locally higher weekly departures approaching +8°C dominated the western and north-central United States and south-central Canada. Highs in the forties (°C) at many locations in the western United States exacerbated long-term dryness (See the United States Drought Monitor for more details) while highs in the thirties (°C) prevailed across the remainder of the region [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].

3. Central United States:

DRY ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Isolated showers dropped 10 to 50 mm of rain at a few locations, but most of the central Plains from the Rockies to the Missouri River received little or no precipitation. Fewer than 100 mm of rain has fallen during the last 8 weeks, allowing short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 200 mm to accumulate. See the United States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 9 weeks].

4. Midwestern and Eastern United States:

PRECIPITATION DEFICITS REMAIN
Widely scattered showers yielded as much as 125 mm of rain, but most of the Midwest and East received less than 50 mm of rain during the past week. Since the middle of April, precipitation totaled 100 to 300 mm, yielding shortfalls of 50 to 225 mm. See the United States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 15 weeks].

5. Florida:

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE
Abundant showers and thunderstorms soaked much of central and southern Florida with 50 to 250 mm. Between 200 and 800 mm of rain has fallen on Florida during the last 8 weeks, resulting in short-term moisture excesses of 50 to 450 mm [WET - Up to 7 weeks].

6. Chile:

SHORT-TERM MOISTURE DEFICIENCIES REPORTED
Little or no precipitation was reported in central Chile. Between May 19 and July 13, precipitation totals varied widely from 50 mm up to 400 mm, with short-term moisture deficits ranging from 75 to 335 mm [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].

7. Central South America:

COLD AIR DRIFTS NORTHWARD
Temperatures were 2°C to 5°C below normal across the region, with a few locally larger negative departures reaching -7°C in Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Subfreezing lows penetrated as far north as southern Brazil while readings stayed below 20°C throughout most of the region [COLD - Up to 7 weeks].

8. Ireland and Western Great Britain:

COOL WEATHER DOMINATES
Weekly temperature departures of -2°C to -3°C covered Ireland and Wales, with lows generally less than 10°C. The mercury failed to reach 20°C at most locations [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].

9. Southeastern Europe and Northern Tunisia:

HIGH TEMPERATURES PREVAIL
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 10°C above normal from Austria eastward across the Ukraine and southern European Russia while weekly temperature departures of +2°C to +6°C dominated the remainder of the region. Readings soared above 47°C in Tunisia, and highs in the thirties (°C) covered much of southern and eastern Europe [WARM - Up to 15 weeks].

10. Southern Niger:

WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST
Between 25 and 50 mm of rain fell on a few isolated locations in southern Niger, but most of the region received fewer than 25 mm. Precipitation totaled less than 100 mm during the last 8 weeks, but short-term moisture deficits were only 50 to 100 mm [DRY - Up to 10 weeks]. Temperatures were generally 2°C to 4°C above normal, with highs ranging from 37°C to 44°C. The mercury remained above 20°C throughout the week [WARM - Up to 10 weeks].

11. Central Siberia:

WARM ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Weekly departures of +2°C to +6°C dominated much of central Siberia, with weekly highs ranging from 25°C to 38°C [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

12. Japan:

TROPICAL STORMS BRING STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS
Torrential rains (100 to 500 mm) inundated much of southern and central Japan from the Ryukyus northward to northern Honshu. Typhoon Chata'an generated peak winds of 240 kph, with gusts approaching 300 kph early in the week while Tropical Storm Narki packed sustained winds of 75 kph and gusts of 93 kph. Both storms weakened dramatically as they trekked northward through Honshu [Episodic Events].

13. Queensland:

COOL CONDITIONS ABATE
Temperatures were generally within 3°C of normal, with highs in the twenties (°C) and lows remaining above freezing throughout the week [COLD - Ending at 3 weeks].