Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for September 28, 2002

1. Central United States:

PRECIPITATION DEFICITS DOMINATE
Most of the region received little or no rain, but light amounts (10 to 25 mm) were reported at scattered locations in northeastern Illinois and central Missouri. Month-to-date precipitation totals for September ranged from 5 to 30 mm, (about 5% to 40% of the amount expected), which was among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution. Please see the United States Drought Monitor for more details [DRY - Up to 6 weeks].

2. Eastern United States:

REMNANTS OF HURRICANE ISIDORE DELIVER HEAVY RAINS
Torrential rains (100 to possibly 500 mm) inundated the lower Mississippi Valley and southern Appalachians. Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 200 mm) soaked the Ohio Valley and Appalachians as the remnants of Hurricane Isidore trekked northeastward. Unfortunately, the rains did not spread east of the Piedmont. Please see the United States Drought Monitor for more information about the eastern United States [Episodic Event].

3. Eastern United States and Southeastern Canada:

UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER PERSISTS
Warm Tropical air overspread the region in the wake of the remnants of Hurricane Isidore, yielding weekly departures in the +2°C to +4°C range. Highs were generally in the thirties (°C) south of 40°N, and in the twenties (°C) elsewhere. Subfreezing lows were confined to parts of northern New England and southeastern Canada [WARM - Up to 5 weeks].

4. Northern Argentina:

ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES PREVAIL
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 6°C above normal across northern Argentina, with highs in the thirties (°C) covering most of the region. The mercury failed to reach the freezing mark throughout the past week [WARM - 2 weeks].

5. Iceland:

POSITIVE TEMPERATURE DEPARTURES COVER ISLAND
Weekly departures of +2°C to +4°C covered Iceland. The mercury remained above freezing and below 20°C during the entire week [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

6. Western Europe:

DRY ANOMALY CONTINUES WESTWARD SHIFT
Little or no rain fell on the United Kingdom and northern France while light rains (10 to 50 mm) prevailed across the Benelux Countries and western Germany. During the past 8 weeks, precipitation totaled less than 110 mm, resulting in short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 180 mm [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].

7. Finland:

COLD ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 6°C below normal during the past week as cold air dominated southern Finland. Lows of 4°C to -10°C prevailed across the region [COLD - 2 weeks].

8. Southeastern Europe:

WET WEATHER EASES
Between 10 and 50 mm of rain dampened the Balkan States while little or none was reported in northwestern Turkey. Precipitation totaled 80 to 300 mm since early August, allowing short-term moisture surpluses of 50 to 160 mm to accumulate [WET - Up to 8 weeks].

9. Northeastern Africa and Southwestern Asia:

WARM ANOMALY SPREADS
Weekly mean temperatures were 2°C to 8°C above normal from northern Egypt northeastward to western Kazakhstan, with the magnitude of the positive departures increasing from southwest to northeast. Highs generally ranged from 25°C to 39°C while lows remained above the freezing mark [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].

10. Northeastern China:

MORE VERY DRY WEATHER
Little or no rain fell on the region during the past week. Since August 4, precipitation totaled less than 150 mm across Manchuria, yielding 8-week shortfalls of 50 to 125 mm [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].

11. South-Central China:

PRECIPITATION DEFICITS REMAIN
Moderate rains (25 to 100 mm) fell on western Yunnan and southwestern Sichuan last week, but the remainder of south-central China received fewer than 25 mm. During most of August and September, the region received 100 to 450 mm of rain, resulting in short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 220 mm [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].

12. Southeastern China:

COOL WEATHER COVERS REGION
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 4°C below normal during the past week. Highs in the thirties (°C) were restricted to Guangdong, with readings in the twenties elsewhere. Lows generally ranged from 5°C to 21°C [COLD - Up to 3 weeks].