temperature comparison 2020 to 2021fdep southwest district
All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. 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. Of this 24-hour precipitation total, Key West observed 3.95 inches (100 mm) in a single hour, which is its second highest hourly rain rate ever recorded. The 2020 fire season was very active and ramped up in mid-summer and extended well into autumn. This was the first EF-4 tornado in South Carolina since 1995, and it was the second of 12 tornadoes in a tornado family that traveled over 150 miles (241 km) from Middleground, GA to Murrells Inlet, SC. On April 13th, the strongest tornado of the year across the Southeast region occurred in Hampton County, SC. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts . cooler than each March from 2015 to 2020. Back-to-back storms from February 5 to 8 brought an extreme mix of weather conditions to the Northeast. Severe weather in the region was spread across many months, however the most newsworthy was a severe derecho on August 10th. The coldest temperature observed during the year was -4 degrees F (-20 degrees C), which was recorded on Mt. The global-mean temperature for March 2021 was higher than the average for 1991-2020, but less extreme than for most months in the last six years. Well below normal precipitation was widespread throughout central and northern California with most stations reporting the second or third driest year on record. In addition, two weak (EF-0 or EF-1) tornadoes snapped trees and damaged houses in northern Maryland. Bellingham, Washington recorded 41.36 in (1050.54 mm, 115% of normal) making it the sixth wettest year since 1949. The event, which qualified as a derecho, caused widespread damage, downing trees and wires, knocking out power to more than 500,000 customers, and causing four deaths. Warm and dry conditions led to drought development in California and Nevada and major drought intensification in the Four Corners states during Calendar Year 2020. Drought stress also caused leaves to change color and drop earlier than usual in parts of the Northeast. There were numerous closed roads, submerged vehicles, and dozens of water rescues. The Northeast had its hottest July since recordkeeping began with an average temperature of 73.7 degrees F (23.2 degrees C), which was 4.1 degrees F (2.3 degrees C) warmer than normal. Two-day snowfall totals ranked as the largest on record for any month at Binghamton, New York, which saw 40.0 inches (101.6 cm) of snow, and Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which picked up 24.7 inches (62.7 cm). For additional details regarding these highlights, please see the following pages: *Temperature and precipitation values and ranks are based on preliminary data. Drought conditions expanded or intensified across much of the western U.S. and southern to central High Plains throughout 2020 with persistent above-average temperatures and precipitation deficits in place across much of the West. To the north, in western Pennsylvania, three weak (EF-0 or EF-1) tornadoes damaged trees and buildings, the Pittsburgh International Airport recorded its second highest thunderstorm wind gust on record at 75 mph (34 m/s), and a hangar and plane were destroyed at the Arnold Palmer Municipal Airport. Conditions improved in eastern New York but worsened in western New York and the western half of Pennsylvania. Forage crop yields were reduced by up to 75 percent in Maine and New Hampshire. The highest winds, over 100 miles per hour (161 km per hour), were in central Iowa causing severe damage to crops and trees. 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. Severe drought touched parts of the five western-most states and extreme drought affected parts of southwestern Missouri and western Iowa. Range and pastureland conditions were severely impacted this year, particularly in parts of Colorado and Wyoming, where livestock producers were forced to haul water or provide supplemental feed. Thundersnow and snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) per hour were reported in central New York, where several roads were shut down due to accidents. 2020 ranked among the seven warmest years on record for all the states: second warmest for Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island; third warmest for New York and Pennsylvania; fourth warmest for New Hampshire; fifth warmest for Maine and Vermont; and seventh warmest for West Virginia. Temperatures were below normal in the Interior, Southcentral, and Southeast regions of Alaska. Strong thunderstorm winds accounted for about 85 percent (3,256 of 3,843) of the severe weather reports and caused at least 10 fatalities and 34 injuries across the region. 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. The average global land and ocean surface temperature for January 2022 was 0.89C (1.60F) above the 20th century average of 12.0C (53.6F). 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. In Pinellas County, FL, sheriff deputies rescued 33 people from flooded homes and stalled vehicles. That 21-week stretch extended to a 29-week stretch when the last eight weeks of 2019 were added making it the second longest stretch with no drought in the region since 2000. In addition, almost 400,000 customers lost power. Portland, Maine, recorded six days this August with a high of at least 90 degrees F (32 degrees C), tying its August record. Near record warmth was found throughout Arizona with both Phoenix (77.2 F [25.1 C], 2.1 F [1.2 C] above normal) and Tucson (72.6 F [22.6 C], 3.2 F [1.8 C] above normal) reporting the second warmest years on record. For instance, one Rhode Island farm lost 90 percent of its saplings and another farm did not open for the holiday season. The storms winds also downed trees and power lines. Elkins, West Virginia, had its snowiest May day and snowiest month of May on record, while Concord, New Hampshire, saw measurable snow in May for the first time in over 50 years. There were more than 250 wind damage reports in the Philadelphia/Mt. 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. With respect to precipitation, Oklahoma experienced its fifth-wettest March on record while Texas experienced its seventh-wettest March on record. January 2021 marked the first time since October 2019 (0.37%) where a record cold temperature occurred. During the summer, a persistent influx of tropical moisture and high humidity across much of the Southeast increased disease pressure on crops, with white mold and fungus reported on peanuts in Georgia and Florida. Four states (Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio) have had six straight years above normal while the other five states, and the region as a whole, were below normal in 2019. 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. 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). 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. Tropical Storm Isaias, the Atlantic Oceans earliest "I" named tropical system on record, produced extreme rainfall, tornadoes, and damaging winds in the Northeast on August 4. Numerous daily precipitation extremes were recorded across the region during the year. Low streamflow and warm water temperatures prompted several states to take actions to protect aquatic species. Several tropical systems affected the Northeast this year, with Tropical Storm Fay, Tropical Storm Isaias, and Tropical Storm Zeta being particularly noteworthy. This ranked as the 37th wettest in history since 1895. There were over 106,000 daily temperature records tied or broken during 2020. In October, Hurricane Zeta caused additional cotton losses in Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, as heavy rainfall led to an increase in boll rot. This topped the 12-week stretch in early 2019 with no abnormally dry conditions. Despite a cold start to the year in Alaska, the statewide average annual temperature was 27.5F, 1.5F above the long-term average and was the coldest year since 2012. This dryness eased by mid-February, with the Northeast becoming free of abnormal dryness for the first time since July 2019. In 2020, above-average heat was more widespread than it has been in 2021 so far. There were two months (March and November) where the entire region experienced a top-10 warmest month on record. This was a record fifth consecutive year with at least one Category 5 storm in the Atlantic. Charleston, West Virginia, had its wettest May on record with 8.93 inches (226.82 mm) of precipitation and its wettest spring on record with 19.14 inches (486.16 mm) of precipitation. Iowa ranked as the 30th driest in its history. January was warmer and wetter than normal across all six states, with Texas experiencing its tenth-warmest January on record while Oklahoma experienced its sixth-wettest January on record. This years drought could reduce next years growth of red oak and white pine trees in New Hampshire. Dry conditions prevented farmers from planting crops, and for those that were planted, moisture stress led to slowed growth and reduced yields. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 18% of the West was in drought at the beginning of the year with no locations worse than severe drought (D2). For Cecil, Montgomery, and Carroll counties, it was the first February tornado on record. Add to Cart . Hundreds of roads were flooded across these states, including the closure of I-95 near Wilson, NC. Ultimately, the year ended with 82 percent of the region in drought, which was up 70 percent from the beginning of the year. Numerous trees and branches were felled due to a combination of strong winds, drought stress, and being fully leafed. This is a mere 0.12C above the 1991-2020 reference period, making it a decidedly "average" year in comparison to the climate of the recent past. Caribou and Portland, Maine, had/tied their hottest November day on record, while Burlington, Vermont, had its warmest November low temperature on record. Many extremely large fires with rapid spread rates occurred this year with California, Oregon, and Colorado all having set records for the largest fires in the states history. There were no areas of below-average annual temperatures observed across the Lower 48 during 2020. There were at least four ground fires in Vermont this year, which is atypical. Conditions worsened during September, with moderate and severe drought expanding and the introduction of extreme drought in New England for the first time since February 2017. In a break from recent years, average annual temperatures were generally above normal across the High Plains region, with widespread departures of up to 2.0 degrees F (1.1 degrees C). 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). Heavy rainfall during early December saturated vegetable fields in southern Florida, resulting in crop losses, increased disease pressure on lettuce and beans, and bloom dropping in pepper and tomato plants. A streak of 14 straight weeks, from mid-January to mid-April, set a new record with no abnormally dry area in the region. Snowfall during the 20192020 snow season was below average across the Sierra Nevada range, the coastal ranges, Cascades, the northern and central Plains, portions of the Great Lakes and across parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. In May, a Midland, Michigan dam failed due to heavy rains over three days, 17th-19th. Long-term weather stations reported record warmth in Oregon, California, and New Mexico. For further details on the weather and climate events in the Midwest, see the weekly and monthly summaries in the. 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). Millions of acres of crops were flattened by the storm. Extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4) drought covered about 22 percent of the CONUS on December 29 the largest extent of D3 and D4 drought since August 2012 (24 percent). The area of drought in southwestern Florida persisted until early June, while the area of drought in coastal Alabama lasted until late June. A few small pockets of moderate drought developed in north-central Puerto Rico during late December. For the year, warm daily records outpaced cold records by a margin of approximately two to one. Despite the snowfall, the fall season was dry, overall, and the majority of the region went into winter with dry soils. In the HadUK-Grid observational dataset that goes back to 1884, all of the Top 10 warmest years for the UK have occurred since 2002. The old record was 3.86 inches (98.04 mm) of precipitation on September 14, 1973. With 1.1 inches (28 mm) of snow on the 25th, Asheville, NC (18692020) observed its fifth highest snowfall on Christmas Day since records began 151 years ago. Caribou, Maine, had its hottest June on record, all-time hottest day, longest stretch of days with a high of at least 80 degrees F (27 degrees C), and greatest number of June days with a high of at least 80 degrees F (27 degrees C). The dryness extended to the east side of the Sierra Nevada into the Great Basin; Reno, Nevada saw its second driest year since 1938 with 2.72 in (69.09 mm, 37% of normal).
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