Weekly Global Climate Highlights Map for November 16, 2002

1. Southern Alaska and Adjacent Parts of Canada:

RELATIVELY MILD CONDITIONS DOMINATE
Large positive temperature departures (+6°C to +9°C) covered eastern Alaska and northwestern Canada, with highs at a few locations approaching 10°C, and lows remaining above -20°C across southern and southeastern Alaska [WARM - Up to 7 weeks].

2. South-Central Alaska:

FAVORABLY DRY WEATHER PREVAILS
Little or no precipitation fell on south-central Alaska during the past week [WET - Ending at 10 weeks].

3. Southwestern British Columbia and Northwestern Washington:

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS BRING RELIEF
Torrential rains (100 to 500 mm) soaked Vancouver Island and orographically-favored areas in British Columbia and northwestern Washington while 50 to 100 mm were reported elsewhere. During the last 8 weeks, fewer than 300 mm of precipitation accumulated, resulting in short-term moisture deficits as high as 320 mm [DRY - Ending at 8 weeks].

4. Ontario:

STILL UNUSUALLY COLD
Bitterly cold weather, characterized by temperatures averaging 6°C to 10°C below normal, dominated northern and central Ontario while temperatures were 2°C to 6°C below normal elsewhere. The mercury managed to reach the freezing mark across southern Ontario, but readings fell below -20°C across most of the province [COLD - Up to 8 weeks].

5. Eastern United States:

SEVERE WEATHER BATTERS EAST
Strong winds and numerous tornadoes raked the eastern United States during the past week, resulting in loss of life and considerable property damage according to the media. Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 100 mm, with locally higher amounts to 200 mm) soaked the area, providing additional relief from long-term dryness [Episodic Events].

6. East-Central South America:

RAINFALL ABATES
Heavy rains (50 to 200 mm) were restricted to the extreme northern and southern fringes of the region while totals of 10 to 50 mm prevailed across the remainder. During the last 13 weeks, precipitation totaled 100 to 500 mm, with locally higher amounts reaching 1100 mm. These accumulations resulted in moisture excesses of 100 to 500 mm, with a few higher surpluses approaching 800 mm [WET - Up to 12 weeks].

7. Western Europe:

MORE WET WEATHER
Moderate to heavy precipitation (50 to 200 mm) inundated south-central England and much of the Alps while lesser amounts (10 to 50 mm) were observed elsewhere. Between August 18 and November 16, the region received 100 to 500 mm of precipitation, with locally heavier amounts of up to 1100 mm in the Alps. The 13-week moisture surpluses ranged from 50 to 300 mm across most of the region, and exceeded 550 mm in some higher elevation Alpine locations [WET - Up to 11 weeks].

8. Scandinavia:

COLD AIR REMAINS ENTRENCHED
A large variation in temperature departures (-2°C to -8°C) prevailed across Scandinavia as cold air continued to dominate the region. Highs above freezing were restricted to southern portions of Scandinavia with a marine influence while the mercury plummeted below -20°C as far south as the southern portions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland [COLD - Up to 7 weeks].

9. Sweden and Finland:

PRECIPITATION DEFICITS PERSIST
Little or no precipitation fell on Sweden and Finland during the past week. During the last 13 weeks, fewer than 120 mm of precipitation accumulated in the two countries, yielding 91-day moisture deficits of 50 to 200 mm [DRY - Up to 11 weeks].

10. Eastern European Russia:

LIGHT TO MODERATE PRECIPITATION CONTINUES
Between 10 and 50 mm of precipitation fell on the region during the past week. Precipitation amounts during the last 13 weeks ranged from 150 to 400 mm, allowing moisture surpluses of 50 to 250 mm to accumulate [WET - Up to 11 weeks].

11. East-Central Africa:

SHORT-TERM MOISTURE SURPLUSES REMAIN
Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 200 mm) fell on southwestern Kenya, but generally less than 50 mm were reported elsewhere. During the last 4 weeks, precipitation totaled 100 to 500 mm, which is among the highest 10% of the climatological distribution [WET - Up to 6 weeks].

12. Zimbabwe and Southern Mozambique:

PRECIPITATION ABATES
Little or no rain fell on the region, except for isolated totals of 50 to 100 mm in southeastern Zimbabwe. Between 70 and 140 mm of rain accumulated during the last 4 weeks, placing totals among the highest 10% of the climatological distribution [WET - Up to 6 weeks].

13. China and Mongolia:

ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES REPORTED
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 5°C above-normal during the past week, with highs above the freezing mark throughout the region. The mercury soared above 30°C in southern China. Lows remained above freezing across the southern half of the region, but dropped below -20°C at some of the higher elevations [WARM - Up to 3 weeks].

14. Korea and Japan:

COLD AIR CONTINUES EASTWARD TREK
Temperatures were 2°C to 4°C below normal across Korea and Japan, with the largest negative departures reported in North Korea and on northern Honshu Island of Japan. Subfreezing lows penetrated as far south as central South Korea and central Honshu [COLD - Up to 5 weeks].

15. Southeastern China:

WET ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Torrential rains (100 to 200 mm) drenched eastern Hubei, northern Jiangxi, southern Anhui, and most of Zhejiang while moderate to heavy precipitation (25 to 100 mm) fell on the remainder of the region. During the last 28 days, precipitation totals of 80 to 270 mm, were among the highest 10% of the climatological distribution [WET - Up to 5 weeks].

16. South-Central China:

ABNORMALLY DRY CONDITIONS EVOLVE
Little or no rain fell on Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi during the past week, with 4-week totals (less than 30 mm) among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].

17. Eastern Australia:

STILL VERY DRY
Light to moderate rain showers (10 to 100 mm) were restricted to coastal regions of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. The remainder of eastern Australia received little or no rain. Fewer than 100 mm of rain has accumulated during the past 8 weeks, leading to precipitation shortfalls of 50 to 200 mm [DRY - Up to 8 weeks].

18. Australia:

MORE HIGH TEMPERATURES
Weekly temperature departures of +2°C to +6°C dominated central and southern Australia, with highs exceeding 40°C across much of the interior [WARM - Up to 5 weeks].