Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for August 17, 2002

1. Montana and Alberta:

COLD AIR PUSHES SOUTHWARD
Cold Canadian air pushed into much of Montana, resulting in weekly departures of -2°C to -6°C, with locally larger negative departures to -8°C. Despite the invasion of cold air, highs exceeded 30°C in southern Montana, but subfreezing lows occurred at several locations in Canada [COLD - Up to 4 weeks].

2. Southern High Plains:

DRY ANOMALY PERSISTS
Precipitation totaled less than 30 mm across the southern High Plains last week as dry conditions persisted. During the last 13 weeks, most areas received fewer than 100 mm of rain, resulting in shortfalls of up to 170 mm. Only the areas with precipitation totals among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution are depicted on the map; however, water shortages prevailing across much of the western United States are covered in detail by the United States Drought Monitor [DRY - Up to 14 weeks].

3. Eastern United States:

MOISTURE SHORTAGES DOMINATE THE EASTERN UNITED STATES
Generally less than 25 mm of rain were reported across the eastern states, with only scattered areas receiving 25 to 100 mm. Most of the region received less than 200 mm of rain since May 19, allowing 13-week moisture shortages to range from 50 to 330 mm. More information, particularly about longer-term conditions, are available in the United States Drought Monitor [DRY - Up to 20 weeks].

4. Uruguay and Adjacent Parts of Argentina:

MORE VERY DRY CONDITIONS
Little or no precipitation fell on Uruguay and Buenos Aires Province of Argentina during the past week, but 8-week moisture deficits remained below 50 mm [DRY - Up to 6 weeks].

5. Northern Europe:

WARM ANOMALY PERSISTS
Weekly departures of +2°C to +6°C dominated Scandinavia, northern European Russia, Poland, and the Baltic States during the past week. The mercury exceeded 30°C in northeastern Poland and the Baltic States, but remained in the twenties (°C) elsewhere [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].

6. Southern and Eastern Europe:

TORRENTIAL RAINS EXACERBATE FLOODING
Moderate to heavy precipitation (50 to 200 mm) soaked much of eastern Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia while lesser amounts (10 to 50 mm) were reported elsewhere. The additional rainfall aggravated flooding along some of the major rivers in eastern Europe, with significant problems occurring downstream of the heavy precipitation. According to press reports, the flooding has damaged antiquities and buildings of major historical significance, particularly in Dresden, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic. Precipitation totaled 100 to 500 mm during the past 8 weeks, resulting in short-term moisture excesses of 50 to 300 mm [WET - Up to 8 weeks].

7. Western Sahel:

HIGH TEMPERATURES AGGRAVATE SHORT-TERM DRYNESS
Between 50 and 100 mm of rain fell on southern Mali, but Senegal received fewer than 25 mm during the week. Only 18 mm of rain accumulated at Dakar during the last 8 weeks, resulting in a shortfall of 171 mm. Further south, the 157 mm of rain at Ziguinchor resulted in a short-term moisture deficit of 490 mm [DRY - Up to 8 weeks]. Temperatures averaging 2°C to 4°C above normal along with highs of 34°C to 42°C exacerbated the abnormally dry conditions [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

8. Central and Eastern Asia:

ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES COVER REGION
Temperatures averaged 6°C to 9°C above normal across western and central Mongolia and adjacent parts of northwestern China and southern Siberia while weekly departures of +2°C to +6°C prevailed across the remainder of the region. Highs were generally in the thirties (°C) across the region while lows remained above the freezing mark throughout the week [WARM - Up to 10 weeks].

9. India:

PRECIPITATION DEFICITS REMAIN
Although 100 to 500 mm of rain fell on parts of southwestern, central, and eastern India, most of the subcontinent received less than 100 mm, and little or none was reported in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Between June 23 and August 17, highly variable precipitation totals ranged from zero to 1000 mm, with short-term moisture deficits of 50 mm in southeastern sections to almost 700 mm in western areas of the country [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].

10. China:

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE WHILE COOL WEATHER DOMINATES
Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 200 mm) drenched China from Yunnan northeastward to Shanghai. According to the media, significant flooding continued to affect several areas. Precipitation totals for the last 8 weeks ranged from 300 to over 1100 mm, resulting in short-term moisture excesses of 100 to almost 700 mm [WET - Up to 9 weeks]. Because of increased cloudiness, weekly departures of -2°C to -7°C prevailed across much of China, but highs were mostly in the twenties (°C) and thirties (°C). Subfreezing lows were reported at some higher elevations of western China [COLD - 2 weeks].

11.  Eastern Australia:

MORE VERY DRY WEATHER
Fewer than 25 mm of rain fell on western and central Victoria, and little or no precipitation was reported elsewhere in the region. Most areas received less than 100 mm of rain during the past 8 weeks, yielding precipitation shortfalls of 50 to 150 mm [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].