1. Western and Central North America:
HIGH TEMPERATURES PREVAIL
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 7°C above normal across the region, with the highest departures (+6°C and above) reported across the central and northern Intermountain West. Highs ranged from 30°C to 44°C in the United States while highs were in the twenties (°C) and lower thirties (°C) across Alaska and Canada. The media reported that record-breaking heat plagued much of the Great Basin [WARM - Up to 8 weeks].
2. High Plains and Eastern Rockies:
UNUSUALLY DRY CONDITIONS EVOLVE
Except for isolated showers (up to 100 mm) in parts of northern Colorado and northern New Mexico, the vast majority of the High Plains and eastern Rockies received little or no rain. Precipitation totals since June 29 were less than 30 mm and were among the lowest 10% of the climatoloigcal distribution [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].
3. Midwestern and Southern United States:
ABNORMALLY COOL CONDITIONS RETURN
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 3°C below normal last week, but lows remained above 10°C while highs were generally in the thirties (°C) [COLD - 2 weeks].
4. Central and Eastern United States:
PRECIPITATION SURPLUSES REMAIN
Scattered moderate to heavy rain showers delivered 50 to 200 mm of rain to the Midwest and Deep South, but most of the region received fewer than 50 mm. Since April 27, between 200 and 1000 mm of rain resulted in highly variable 13-week moisture surpluses of 50 to 525 mm [WET - Up to 19 weeks].
5. East-Central South America:
STILL VERY DRY
Little or no rain fell on northern Argentina, most of Uruguay, and adjacent parts of Brazil and Paraguay. Precipitation during the last 28 days was less than 25 mm, with 4-week totals among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution [DRY - Up to 6 weeks].
6. France:
DRY ANOMALY CONTINUES TO SHRINK
Unusually dry conditions were limited to southern France, where fewer than 25 mm of rain was reported. During June and July precipitation totals remained below 70 mm, yielding short-term moisture deficits of 50 to 135 mm [DRY - Up to 10 weeks].
7. Europe and Northern Africa:
ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES PERSIST
Weekly departures of +2°C to +6°C covered much of Europe and extreme northern Africa. Highs were in the forties (°C) across northern Africa, in the thirties (°C) in central Europe, and in the twenties (°C) across Scandinavia [WARM - Up to 10 weeks].
8. West-Central Asia:
COLD AIR OVERSPREADS REGION
Weekly departures of -2°C to -7°C dominated southwestern Siberia and eastern Kazakhstan, but the mercury remained above freezing [COLD - 2 weeks].
9. Eastern Asian Russia:
MORE UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER
Weekly departures of +2°C to +8°C prevailed across eastern Siberia, with the highest departures reported along the western fringes of the region. Highs were generally in the thirties (°C), and lows generally remained above the freezing mark [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].
10. East-Central Siberia:
DRY ANOMALY DEVELOPS
Little or no rain fell on east-central Siberia during the past week. Four-week precipitation totals were less than 25 mm and were among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution [DRY - Up to 5 weeks].
11. Japan:
UNSEASONABLY COOL WEATHER DEVELOPS
Temperatures were 2°C to 6°C below normal last week, with highs in the twenties (°C). The mercury remained above the freezing mark, even at the higher elevations [COLD - 2 weeks].
12. East-Central China and Western Japan:
RAINS ABATE IN CHINA, PERSIST IN KOREA AND JAPAN
Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 200 mm) soaked much of Japan and the Korean Peninsula last week, but lesser amounts (25 to 100 mm) fell on east-central China. Eight-week precipitation totaled 100 to 1200 mm, resulting in short-term moisture excesses of 50 to 600 mm [WET - Up to 7 weeks].
13. Southern China:
RAINS BRING RELIEF TO WESTERN SECTION WHILE DRYNESS CONTINUES ELSEWHERE
Little or no rain fell on Fujian, Jiangxi, and Zheijiang, but further west moderate to heavy rains (25 to 200 mm) brought relief to Guangdong, Guangxi, and southern Hunan. Between 100 and 600 mm of rain has accumulated since June 1, yielding precipitation shortfalls of 50 to 300 mm [DRY - Up to 7 weeks].
14. Northern Australia:
WARM ANOMALY ABATES
Temperatures averaged 2°C to 3°C above normal across northern Australia, with highs ranging from 15°C in central Australia to 35°C in the far northern sections. Subfreezing lows were restricted to the interior higher elevations [WARM - Up to 4 weeks].
15. Southwestern Australia:
UNUSUALLY COLD CONDITIONS REPORTED
Although weekly departures were only -2°C to -3°C, temperatures for the last 2 weeks were among the lowest 10% of the climatological distribution. Lows ranged from -1°C to 5°C, but highs failed to reach 20°C [COLD - 2 weeks].
The Global Climate Highlights and Anomalies product will be discontinued in late August 2003. However, both the Climate Prediction Center and the National Climatic Data Center provide information on global anomalies.
Please consider the following web sites for global analyses and data:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/regional_monitoring/
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/global_monitoring/precipitation/global_precip_accum.html
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/global_monitoring/temperature/global_temp_accum.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/monitoring.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/hazards/index.html