-
Here is a site which allows you to look at how temperature and precipitation vary by year for individual stations across the country. This will show you which years are similar in average temperature and precipitation and how the range of temperatures and precipitation vary at different stations. You can visit it and click on…
Posted in: Sources of weather and climate data -
The latest monthly climate summaries for North Carolina and for the whole Southeast are now available. You can use the links below to access them. Note that the rain in eastern NC this year has caused a lot of problems for farmers there, since it has delayed harvest and field work considerably. NC: A ‘Fairy…
Posted in: Climate summaries -
In the course of answering a question for a friend on Facebook, I noticed that February 4-5, 1917 produced a very cold and widespread Arctic outbreak. Instead of looking at the weather records this time, I took a look at some of the historical newspaper reports of the outbreak. Here are some screen shots from…
-
Flash drought is something that is hugely important for the Southeast as well as other parts of the country. Definitions vary, but generally flash drought occurs when there is rapid onset or rapid intensification of a drought due to lack of rainfall with or without very high temperatures and low humidity. Agriculture is one of…
-
The latest Drought Monitor, released this morning, shows that a second area of moderate drought has been added to Alabama this week along with an expansion of last week’s drought. Abnormally dry areas have also expanded. In Florida, more than half the state is now considered to be in abnormally dry conditions after receiving little…
Posted in: Drought -
Some of you may know that normal temperatures are averages calculated over a 30-year period. The current “normal” period is 1981-2010, but that is due to change later this year when the climate records for 2020 are finalized after quality control and the new averages are calculated by NOAA. The new normals should be released…
-
Today is Groundhog Day, and the major news outlets all have stories about the cute little marmot who is supposed to predict the climate for the next six weeks. It’s always a day that drives meteorologists crazy (although I do like the movie). A study of how often they are right range from 50 percent…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news