Many of the same locations that saw above normal and record high temperatures also experienced below normal precipitation and in some cases record dryness. Farmers dealt with extremely dry conditions. Annual snowfall accumulations were below average across much of the Southeast region, particularly in the higher elevations of North Carolina and Virginia. Despite the snowfall, the fall season was dry, overall, and the majority of the region went into winter with dry soils. Record dryness (dating back to 1949) was also observed in Tucson, Arizona with 4.17 in (105.92 mm, 36% of normal) falling throughout the year. June 2021 Global Climate Report | National Centers for Environmental There were road closures, some evacuations, and reports of water in houses. In Alaska, annual temperatures were above normal along the North Slope, in western coastal Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands. Flash flooding was reported from Delaware to New York, resulting in road closures and water rescues. On June 10, Dulles Airport, Virginia, tied its warmest June low temperature with a low of 74 degrees F (23 degrees C). In October, Arctic sea ice concentration was the lowest value since the satellite records began. Almost the entire Northeast saw below-normal snowfall during spring and the snow season (October through May). 2021 Weather History in Denver Colorado, United States Temperatures across the region for 2020 averaged 1.2 degrees F (0.7 C) above normal. Up to 5 inches (127 mm) of rain fell, with the greatest amounts in northern and eastern Maine. The record of 163 consecutive days was set last year. It was only the second time since 1885 that Philadelphia recorded no snowfall during spring. Binghamton also tied its lowest maximum temperature for May with a high of 35 degrees F (2 degrees C). Global Temperature Report for 2021 - Berkeley Earth This ranked as the fifth-warmest year in the 126-year record. cooler than each March from 2015 to 2020. Some reservoirs also experienced below-normal water levels. The anomalies themselves represent departures from the 20 th century average temperature. During the fall, some Florida citrus growers reported extremely heavy fruit drop within their groves, which was partially attributed to premature blooming during the winter 20192020 season as well as a persistence of heavy rainfall throughout the year. Over 45 percent (77 of 168) of the long-term stations observed annual mean temperatures that were within their five warmest values on record. Annual mean temperatures were at least 2 degrees F (1.1 degrees C) above average for approximately 52 percent of the 168 long-term (i.e., period of record equaling or exceeding 50 years) stations across the region. About 30 percent (1,154 of 3,843) of these reports were observed during April. Drought conditions exhibited a slightly cyclical pattern throughout the Southern Region during 2020, but conditions primarily deteriorated as the year progressed. Strengthening to a hurricane, Isaias made landfall near Ocean Isle Beach, NC on August 3rd, with peak sustained winds of 85 mph (38 m/s) and a maximum wind gust of 99 mph (44 m/s) in Federal Point, NC. In September, many farmers in the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama reported a loss of cotton, peanuts, and pecans due to the passage of Hurricane Sally. Some areas of the region, especially western and southern Colorado, had departures over 2.0 degrees F (1.1 degrees C), which led to many locations ranking in the top 10 warmest years on record. This value will be evaluated by the State Climate Extremes Committee later in 2021 to determine if a state record for lowest mean sea level pressure will be established. Burlington and Caribou, Maine, also had their warmest minimum temperature for May. Rocky Mountain snowpack was below normal at the time of this writing. For the year, there were areas in all six states that averaged between 1 to 2 degrees F (0.56 to 1.11 degrees C) above normal, while parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee averaged 2 to 3 degrees F (1.11 to 1.67 degrees C) above normal. There were more than 250 wind damage reports in the Philadelphia/Mt. These areas included portions of northern New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. Global average surface temperature has risen at an average rate of 0.17F per decade since 1901 (see Figure 2), similar to the rate of warming within the contiguous 48 states. For a small area of northwest Oregon, western Washington, and northern Idaho, drought conditions improved with removal of drought for these locations. Portland, Maine, recorded its earliest 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) day on record on March 9. A few small pockets of moderate drought developed in north-central Puerto Rico during late December. Rocky Mountain snowpack was near normal for most of the 2019-20 season (July-June). Two other costly severe weather outbreaks in the Ohio River Valley included one on March 27th-28th and a severe hail storm on April 7th-8th. The average global land and ocean surface temperature for January 2021 was 0.80C (1.44F) above the 20th century average of 12.0C (53.6F). Harford, Connecticut, received only 4.42 inches (112.27 mm) of precipitation during summer, making it the sites driest summer on record. For instance, a roof was blown off a store in Cape May, New Jersey, and a cow barn was tossed into a power pole in Rockland, Massachusetts. At the beginning of 2020, only 12 percent of the High Plains region was experiencing moderate to exceptional drought (D1-D4), and these conditions were largely confined to western and southern areas of Colorado and Kansas. This ranked as the 37th wettest in history since 1895. Thirteen tropical cyclones (Tropical Storm Arthur, Tropical Storm Bertha, Tropical Storm Cristobal, Tropical Storm Fay, Hurricane Isaias, Tropical Storm Kyle, Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Marco, Hurricane Sally, Tropical Storm Beta, Hurricane Delta, Hurricane Zeta, and Tropical Storm Eta) brought high winds, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, storm surge, and tornadoes to widespread portions of the Southeast region, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Northern Delaware experienced some of its worst flash flooding in at least 15 years. Portions of West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic also saw freezing rain, with ice accumulations of up to 0.41 inches (10.41 mm), and sleet. Corn yields were new records in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Kentucky. The highest annual precipitation total for any station (excluding CoCoRaHS) across the region was recorded in Highlands, which surpassed its previous wettest year on record (2018) by 11.04 inches (280 mm). Dulles Airport, Virginia, and Erie, Pennsylvania, set or tied their greatest number of April days with measurable precipitation. Overall, Earth's average temperature has risen more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1880s. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, there were substantial changes in drought conditions across the High Plains region over the course of the year. After making landfall near Creole, LA on October 9th, the remnants of Hurricane Delta impacted parts of the Southeast with heavy rain and flooding. Based on NOAA's Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index (REDTI), the contiguous U.S. temperature-related energy demand for 2020 was 31 percent of average and the 7th lowest value in the 126-year period of record. Despite slightly above normal snowpack in the Colorado River Basin, April-July inflows into Lake Powell were only 52% of normal due a combination of above normal temperatures and evaporative demand and a lack of any substantial early summer monsoonal rainfall. Flooding and flash flooding caused fatalities in the Midwest. Wet weather continued to delay field work across North Carolina, with reports of negative impacts on the wheat crop due to waterlogged soils. The U.S. Drought Monitor released on December 3 showed 21 percent of the Northeast in an extreme, severe, or moderate drought and 33 percent as abnormally dry. Newark, New Jersey, had its wettest July on record with 11.17 inches (283.72 mm) of rain. Texas experienced its third-warmest March on record, Louisiana and Mississippi experienced their fourth-warmest March on record, Oklahoma experienced its tenth-warmest March on record, and the region as a whole experienced its sixth-warmest March on record. Power outages affected millions in the region with many outages lasting days or even weeks in some cases. The U.S. Texas had the most severe weather reports total (1,520) while Louisiana had the fewest (407). The June 2021 global surface temperature was the fifth highest for June in the 142-year record at 0.88C (1.58F) above the 20th century average. Global Temperature Report for 2020 - Berkeley Earth Most of the islands saw below normal precipitation with the exception of Kauai and some of southern Hawaii. For instance, the Frankford Creek rose 4 feet (1 m) in 10 minutes, while Pennypack Creek reached 10.45 feet (3.19 m), which ranked as the ninth highest water level since 1965 (based on preliminary data). Summer was warmer and wetter than normal for most of the Southern Region. Non-thunderstorm wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph (18 to 27 m/s) were common, with some of the highest wind gusts reaching 82 mph (37 m/s) near Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey; 80 mph (36 m/s) in Milton, Massachusetts; 79 mph (35 m/s) in Dewey Beach and Indian Beach, Delaware; and 75 mph (34 m/s) in Moosic, Pennsylvania. Flash flooding due to heavy rain occurred again in parts of Maryland, Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey on August 12 and 13. A man in Bradenton Beach, FL was electrocuted when he touched an appliance while standing in floodwater. Livestock producers in Georgia had to travel far to buy hay since supplies were short from the drought conditions in autumn 2019. These regional summaries were provided by the six Regional Climate Centers and reflect conditions in their respective regions. Hundreds of roads were flooded across these states, including the closure of I-95 near Wilson, NC. These conditions both improved and deteriorated through winter and into spring, with the total area experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions decreasing but the total area experiencing extreme drought conditions increasing, with a small area of exceptional drought conditions developing. Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., saw less than an inch of snow for the season for only the third time since 1885. This topped the 12-week stretch in early 2019 with no abnormally dry conditions. Caribou, Maine, recorded 10.9 inches (27.7 cm) of snow on April 10, making it the sites second snowiest April day on record. The warmth kicked off in January with Boston, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and Bridgeport, Connecticut, having their warmest January day on record with highs near or above 70 degrees F (21 degrees C). The Roanoke River crested almost 6 feet (1.8 meters) above flood stage on May 21st, sending water rushing onto some roadways and making them impassable. Peaking in intensity in early July, moderate-to-severe drought conditions covered over half of the island. There were at least 60 injuries and 4 deaths attributed to the storm system. Most of the drought is focused on the central islands of Molokai, Maui, Kahoolawe, and Lanai with severe and extreme drought present. Yield losses in Iowa were due to a combination of drought and damages from the derecho. Several Midwest states had record yields for corn and/or soybeans. January-May 2021 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Percentiles Regionally, Africa's year-to-date temperature was 1.28C (2.30F) above average and the third highest for the January-May period on record. In the Desert Southwest, Roswell, New Mexico reported its warmest year on record since records began in 1949 with an annual average temperature of 64.6 F (18.1 C), 3.8 F (2.1 C) above normal. On May 26th, Miami, FL observed a 24-hour rainfall total of 7.40 inches (188 mm), which is its third wettest May day on record. Nine major climate sites had their hottest summer on record: LaGuardia Airport, New York; Harrisburg and Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Burlington, Vermont; Caribou and Portland, Maine; Bridgeport and Hartford, Connecticut; and Providence, Rhode Island. Further south, Stockton, California reported its warmest year on record (in the past 72 years) at 64.8 F (18.2 C), 3.5F (1.9 C) above normal. Climate Change: Global Temperature | NOAA Climate.gov Temperatures are increasing due to human activities, specifically emissions of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane. Well below normal precipitation was widespread throughout central and northern California with most stations reporting the second or third driest year on record. This switch from wet to dry was so pronounced that some locations went from having a top 10 wettest year in 2019 to a top 10 driest year in 2020. For several other locations in the Northeast, the storms daily or two-day snow total ranked among the ten greatest for December or any month on record. Temperatures rebounded in the summer, with most states in the High Plains ranking in the top 15 warmest summers on record. Damage in the form of snapped and uprooted trees occurred to the west of the school, along with the more significant roof uplift and partial outer wall collapse of the schools gymnasium. The storm's highest wind gusts ranged from 60 to 78 mph (27 to 35 m/s). Approximately four percent of Californias nearly 100 million acres were consumed by wildfires in 2020, which is the largest wildfire season on record for the state. Drought conditions continued to worsen across much of the region during the fall as precipitation deficits mounted. 2020 Tied for Warmest Year on Record, NASA Analysis Shows Indiana was barely below normal (-0.04 inches or -1 mm), while Minnesota (-3.75 inches or -95 mm) and Iowa (-5.84 inches or -148 mm) were well below normal. March was mainly warmer and wetter than normal, with every state experiencing warmer than normal temperatures and every state except Louisiana experiencing wetter than normal conditions. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts . The Four Corners region began 2020 with a sizeable area of severe drought that has expanded and intensified with exceptional drought present in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado by the end of 2020. Soil moisture conditions in the fall and early winter are important for the High Plains region because, as soils freeze, available moisture is locked in place until spring. The last time New York and New England experienced drought conditions was in the summer/fall of 2018. Fires were a major issue across Colorado and Wyoming this year, with the three largest fires in Colorados history burning this summer and fall. Average UK temperature for 2020 as a whole was 9.62C, which is behind only the years 2014 (9.88C) and 2006 (9.70C), and marginally warmer than 2011 (9.61C). Lower than usual streamflow on the Hudson River in New York in October led to increased sodium levels in Poughkeepsies water supply. San Francisco, California, with one of the longest climate records in the state dating back to 1850, recorded its second driest year on record at 7.81 in (198.37 mm, 33% of normal). Mitchell, NC (19252020) recorded 0.2, 10.2, and 64.2 inches (5, 259, and 1,631 mm) of snowfall during the year, which is 17.9, 12.5, and 13.2 inches (455, 318, and 335 mm) below their long-term averages, respectively. Searching by zip code will yield no results if there is no weather station within that zip code, but you can easily expand your search to a city or county. Many waterways in drought areas across the Northeast saw below-normal streamflow during summer and the first half of fall. With a daily maximum temperature of 24 degrees F (-4.4 degrees C), Asheville, NC (18762020) recorded its coldest Christmas Day since 1983, while Huntsville, AL (19072020) observed its coldest Christmas Day since 1985, with a daily maximum temperature of 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). For the past decade, the Normals have been based on weather observations from 1981 to 2010. In 2020, above-average heat was more widespread than it has been in 2021 so far. On the 11th, Sarasota-Bradenton, FL (19112020) observed its wettest November day on record, with 6.41 inches (163 mm) of rainfall. Annual precipitation totals were well above average across the Southeast region, with widespread areas of exceptional wetness occurring in every state and Puerto Rico. In addition, Columbus, GA (18912020) and Macon, GA (18922020) observed their wettest and second wettest April day on record, with 5.92 and 4.41 inches (150 and 112 mm) of rainfall, respectively. On June 3, a line of intense thunderstorms with wind gusts of up to 93 mph (42 m/s) raced across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Significant flooding occurred, particularly in southeastern Pennsylvania where several waterways recorded their highest water levels on record. This graph shows the change in global surface temperature compared to the long-term average from 1951 to 1980. On August 31st, a line of slow-moving thunderstorms brought over 5 inches of rainfall to Johnston County, NC, where a 5-year-old girl and her 4-year-old brother were swept away in floodwater. The statewide average annual precipitation totals are as follows: Arkansas received 63.43 inches (1611.12 mm), Louisiana received 66.40 inches (1686.56 mm), Mississippi received 68.22 inches (1732.78 mm), Oklahoma received 39.10 inches (993.14 mm), Tennessee received 65.40 inches (1661.16 mm), and Texas received 26.04 inches (661.42 mm). In fact, Utah's 7.23 inches of annual precipitation was 0.89 inches less than the previous record set in 1956. There were numerous impacts from the drought across the region, particularly in New England and New York. An early season freeze event occurred in the Upper Midwest on September 8th-11th. Ten states across the Southwest, Southeast and East Coast had their second-warmest year on record. More than 4.3 million acres were consumed across California during 2020. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. 2022 was the sixth-warmest year on record based on NOAA's temperature data. Some branches and wires were downed in parts of Massachusetts due to snowfall and/or gusty winds. Tropical Storm Zeta and another storm system trekked through the Mid-Atlantic, bringing rain, snow, and gusty winds to the region from October 29 to 30. There were more than 120 wind damage reports in western New England and eastern New York, where there were two storm-related fatalities. Several major storms affected the Northeast during 2020. 2021 Year-to-Date Temperatures Versus Previous Years
Sphere Plane Intersection,
Death Anniversary Prayer For Brother,
Air Ambulance Call Outs Today,
Major Horton Band Of Brothers Cast,
Articles T