CapitalClimate

Dallas Deluge Demolishes Daily Downpour Data; New January Daily Rainfall Record, Second Wettest January

2012-01-25T17:49:00.010-05:00

Following last year's exceptional drought, the climate pendulum has jumped to the opposite extreme, bringing record rainfall and floods to portions of north Texas. Although the National Weather Service reports that the heavy rain has ended, the 3.54" of rain so far today at Dallas is nearly 3 times the old record for the date of 1.28" in 1973. The daily total is also an all-time January daily record, exceeding the 3.15" on January 4, 1998, and it's the second-highest daily total for any winter day (December-February), behind the 4.22" on December 20, 1991.

The January 2012 monthly total to date of 6.04" is approaching 4 times the normal amount of 1.66". It also surpasses the 5.58" in January 2007 to become the second wettest January, behind 9.07" in 1932.

Note: Although the Dallas/Ft. Worth climate record is considered continuous back to 1898, data have been collected at several locations in the area:

1898-1940: Downtown Fort Worth
1940-1953: Fort Worth Meacham Field
1953-1974: Greater Southwest International Airport
1974-present: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Image (click to enlarge): 24-hour rainfall totals ending 1 pm CST, January 25, 2012, in the Dallas region, from National Weather Service

Gas Bubble: Coal Market Share for U.S. Electricity Generation Declines from 50% to 43% in 2 Years

2012-01-22T18:44:00.000-05:00

The good news: Electricity generation from coal is declining sharply in the U.S., from 50% 2 years ago to 43% today.

The bad news: The reason for the drop is that there is a "virtually infinite" supply of natural gas. The lowest gas prices in at least a decade ($2.34 Friday morning) are making coal-fired power plants uneconomical. Out of 350 gigawatts of coal capacity, roughly 50 gigawatts are at risk for replacement by cheap gas.

Kenneth Hersh, NGP Energy Capital Management Co. CEO was interviewed on CNBC Friday morning (January 20):

Mid-Winter 2012 Temperature Update: Heat Records Crushing Cold Records by Over 6 to 1

2012-01-20T13:37:00.004-05:00

At the midpoint of meteorological winter (December-February), new high temperature records are outnumbering low temperature records in the U.S. by a ratio of 6.2 to 1, according to preliminary reports from the National Climatic Data Center. Thanks to an incredible ratio of nearly 34 to 1 in the first half of January, the seasonal ratio is the highest since the over 11 to 1 value last summer. The total count of 2545 new heat records for the first 6 weeks for winter outnumbers the total cold records in the last 6 months of 2011.

The preliminary analysis from NOAA/NCEP data for December 1-January 16 shows the warmest temperatures relative to average (as much as 8°C above) in western Canada, extending southeastward across most of the U.S. The only area in the country with substantially below-average temperatures includes New Mexico and southwestern Texas.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for December 2010 through January 16, 2012, seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, winter 2011-2012 to date, and annual ratio for 2011 and 2010;
- U.S. temperature departure from climatological average, December 1, 2011 to January 16, 2012
CapitalClimate chart from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
U.S. average temperature map from NOAA/NCEP via ESRL

Minneapolis Ties Record for Latest Sub-Zero Temperature; New Record Missed by 1 Hour

2012-01-19T00:41:00.004-05:00

12:30 AM CST Update: It's semi-official; the preliminary daily climate summary for January 18 reports a low temperature of -1° at the Twin Cities. St. Cloud hit -9° tonight after having been -3° in the morning.

Original post:
The temperature this winter has remained above 0° at Minneapolis through January 17 (Tuesday), at least tying the record for latest below-zero reading, on January 18 in 1889 and 2002. After the morning low of +2°, the temperature was at 0° as of 11 pm CST and falling. The midnight temperature was -1°, so the record was missed by 1 hour. The National Weather Service reported earlier:

The likelihood of witnessing a below zero temperature across southern Minnesota and west central Wisconsin during any given winter is very good indeed. There has NEVER been a winter where temperatures failed to drop below zero.

In the Twin Cities, the long term average for the first below zero reading is December 9th. The least number of below zero days was 2, back in the winter of 2001-2002. January 18th is the latest date on record during the winter season that the Twin Cities has experienced its first below zero temperature (set back in 1889 and 2002).

The temperature Wednesday morning (January 18th) failed to drop below zero, and is expected to remain above zero for the rest of the day, so this record has been tied. The "latest sub-zero temperature" record is expected to be broken tomorrow (January 19th) when temperatures drop below zero at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport early Thursday morning.

Mankato has also not dropped below zero this winter, as of January 17th. However, the low temperature is expected to drop below zero Thursday morning, ending the streak there as well. The least number of below zero days for a given winter in Mankato was 6 back in the winter of 1982-1983.

St Cloud, Albert Lea and Eau Claire have already seen below zero days this winter. As of January 17th, St. Cloud and Albert Lea have all dropped below zero 3 times. Eau Claire has dropped below zero 2 times so far.

Breaking News: Keystone Pipeline Rejected

2012-01-18T14:14:00.005-05:00

CNBC has confirmed within the past hour that the Obama administration will reject the application for the TransCanada Keystone XL oil sands pipeline. Energy prices are generally unaffected:

Other reports:
NPR: Reports: Obama Administration Will Reject Keystone Pipeline Proposal
NY Times: State Dept. to Put Pipeline on Hold, Officials Say
BBC: Keystone XL oil pipeline plan 'to be rejected'
Politico: Keystone XL pipeline to be rejected by Obama administration

Torrid Start to 2012: First 8 Days of Heat Records More Than 2X Total Cold Records for Entire Summer

2012-01-09T16:08:00.010-05:00

Think it was hot last summer? In relative terms, the first 8 days of 2012 have been even more scorching. The 1,367 new daily high temperature records set so far in January have been more than double the total number of cold records set in the entire summer of 2011. Compared to the amazing ratio of more than 11 to 1 for heat records vs. cold records in the summer, the ratio so far this month has been more than 3 times as high, at 36 to 1.

In fact, there have been as many all-time January monthly high temperature records (38) as daily low temperature records. Although these were focused in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa, monthly records were also set in Montana, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming.

The record setting high temperatures have been particularly intense in the northern Plains and upper Midwest, where many old records in century-plus climate histories were broken by double digits. As the map shows, however, records have been broken from coast to coast in most states except the extreme northeast and Florida.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly total counts of daily high temperature and low temperature records set in the U.S. for January 2011 through December 2011 and January 1-8, 2012; CapitalClimate chart from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
- Locations of daily high temperature records broken (marked with "X") or tied, January 1-8, 2012, from NCDC.

Minnesota Record Heat: First Ever 60° Temperature in First Week of January

2012-01-06T12:53:00.003-05:00

The record heat of January 5 produced the first 60° temperatures ever observed in Minnesota during the first week of January. The Minnesota Climatology Working Group reports:

The highest temperature found so far from a National Weather Service Cooperative Station is 62 degrees at Marshall. Both Milan and Madison in southwestern Minnesota both saw 61 degrees. An automated station near Canby in Yellow Medicine County reached 63 degrees. Looking back to 1891 this is the first time a maximum temperature reached 60 degrees in the state for the first week of January. St. Cloud saw a record high of 53 degrees, breaking the old record of 43 degrees set in 1984. Clouds held the temperature down in the Twin Cities and "only" had a high of 45 degrees.

There has never been a 60 degree temperature recorded during the first week of January in Minnesota's modern climate record. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Minnesota during the first week of January is 59 degrees, occurring on January 7, 2003 in Amboy, MN. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Minnesota on January 5 is 57 degrees, recorded at Crookston in 1902.

How rare is it to have a temperature of 60 degrees or higher in January in Minnesota? Reaching 60 degrees ANY time ANYWHERE in January is quite rare, occurring in only 10 years of the 120 year modern record. The all-time record high temperature for any day in January is 69 degrees, occurring January 24, 1981 in Montevideo.

New Record High Temperatures January 5, 2012

City          Max Temp Prev. Rec Year
-------------------------------------
Marshall      62       48        1958
Sioux Falls   62       49        1985
Milan         61       47        1958
Madison       61       49        1958
Redwood Falls 59       47        1958
St. Cloud     53       43        1984
Mankato       52       45        1958

The warm conditions caused a Target trailer which had veered off of highway I-94 near Monticello to plunge through the ice of a pond:
Semi driver crawls to safety as rig sinks in pond

Image (click to enlarge): A Target trailer stuck in ice after going off I-94 near Monticello, Minnesota, from Department of Public Safety, via TwinCities.com

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch . . .Heat Records Crushed in Northern Plains

2012-01-05T17:33:00.007-05:00

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. high temperatures for January 5, 2012, from Unisys

January 6 Update: See the following post for Minnesota temperature records.

10 PM Update: The National Weather Service reports that the high temperatures of 65° at Huron and 68° at Mitchell in South Dakota were also all-time January records. A summary of southeastern South Dakota and northeastern Iowa records:

                   HIGH   PREVIOUS          RANK ON ALL TIME    PERIOD OF
CITY             JAN 5TH   RECORD   YEAR      JANUARY LIST        RECORD
---------------  -------  --------  ----   ------------------   ----------
ACADEMY SD          69       65     1935    T-2nd (72 1/29/31)    1898-
MITCHELL SD         68       51     1935     1st (previously 67)  1896-
SIOUX CITY IA       68       61     1956    T-3rd (71 1/26/2002)  1889-
YANKTON SD          68       57     1935    T-3rd (74 1/25/1981)  1932-
VERMILLION SD       67       54     1956    T-2nd (71 1/24/1981)  1948-
HURON SD            65       49   1898/1935  1st (previously 64)  1881-
SIOUX CENTER IA     62       47     1958    T-3rd (68 1/26/2002)  1948-
SIOUX FALLS SD      62       49     1985    T-3rd (66 1/24/1981)  1889-
MENNO SD            65       53     1935    T-3rd (70 1/29/1931)  1896-

In North Dakota, all-time January high temperature records were set at Minot and tied at Jamestown. Both previous records were over a century old.

                          JANUARY 5           ALL TIME JANUARY

SITE              OBSERVED     RECORD  YEAR    RECORD   DATE
                    HIGH        HIGH            HIGH

WILLISTON (KISN)     58          50    1914      55   1/23/1944
DICKINSON (KDIK)     62          53    2008      63   1/23/1981
MINOT (KMOT)         61          50    1914      59   1/28/1906
BISMARCK (KBIS)      59          50    1908      63   1/08/2002
JAMESTOWN (KJMS)     56          45    1908      56   1/19/1908

Other records from North Dakota:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 55 DEGREES WAS SET AT FARGO ND THIS
AFTERNOON. THIS ECLIPSES THE OLD RECORD OF 40 SET IN 1984. THIS ALSO
BREAKS THE RECORD FOR THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN JANUARY AT
FARGO. IT WAS 54 DEGREES ON JANUARY 20 1908.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 47 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE NWS OFFICE
IN GRAND FORKS. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 42 DEGREES ACHIEVED IN 1984.

9 PM Update: The Rapid City airport temperature peaked at 73°, smashing the old record of 60° in 2008. East Rapid City, where records extend back to 1888, hit 71°.

Other western South Dakota records reported by the National Weather Service:

..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT CAMP CROOK  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 61 DEGREES WAS SET AT CAMP CROOK   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 55 SET IN 1903.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT BISON  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 58 DEGREES WAS SET AT BISON TODAY.  
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 50 SET IN 1958.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT HOT SPRINGS  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 62 DEGREES WAS SET AT HOT SPRINGS  
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 61 SET IN 1930.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT BUFFALO AIRPORT  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 59 DEGREES WAS SET AT BUFFALO AIRPORT   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 47 SET IN 1903.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT PINE RIDGE AIRPORT  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 62 DEGREES WAS SET AT PINE RIDGE   
AIRPORT TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 57 SET IN 2003.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT GILLETTE AIRPORT  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 54 DEGREES WAS SET AT GILLETTE AIRPORT   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 47 SET IN 2006.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT FORT MEADE  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 71 DEGREES WAS SET AT FORT MEADE TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 62 SET IN 2001.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT PHILIP AIRPORT  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 74 DEGREES WAS SET AT PHILIP AIRPORT   
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 46 SET IN 2002.  
   
..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT LEAD  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 61 DEGREES WAS SET AT LEAD TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 55 SET IN 2001.

This map from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet shows new records across nearly all of the state, with margins of 10° or more across the northern portion (click to enlarge):

Records were also widespread across Nebraska, several by very large margins:

AT 351 PM CST THE TEMPERATURE IN NORFOLK REACHED 70 DEGREES  
ESTABLISHING A RECORD HIGH FOR JANUARY 5TH. THE PREVIOUS   
RECORD WAS 55 DEGREES SET IN 1956.    

AT 346 PM CST THE TEMPERATURE IN LINCOLN REACHED 68 DEGREES  
ESSTABLISHING A RECORD HIGH FOR JANUARY 5TH. THE PREVIOUS   
RECORD WAS 61 DEGREES SET IN 1956.    

AT 354 PM CST THE TEMPERATURE IN OMAHA REACHED 66   
DEGREES...ESTABLISHING A RECORD HIGH FOR JANUARY 5TH.   
THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 62 DEGREES SET IN 1956.    

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REPORTED AT THE CENTRAL NEBRASKA REGIONAL AIRPORT   
IN GRAND ISLAND TODAY WAS 68 DEGREES. THIS SHATTERS THE PREVIOUS  
RECORD OF 60 DEGREES FOR THIS DATE...SET IN 1956. TEMPERATURE RECORDS  
AT GRAND ISLAND DATE BACK TO 1896.   

THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COOPERATIVE OBSERVER AT THE   
KEARNEY REGIONAL AIRPORT...REPORTED A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 69 DEGREES.  
THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 66 DEGREES FOR  
THIS DATE...SET IN 1956. TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR KEARNEY DATE BACK  
TO 1901.   

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDED AT THE HASTINGS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TODAY  
WAS 67 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE  
OF 61 DEGREES FOR THIS DATE....SET IN 1956. TEMPERATURE RECORDS AT  
HASTINGS DATE BACK TO 1906.  

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT BROKEN BOW MUNICIPAL   
AIRPORT REACHED 67 DEGREES...WHICH TIES AS THE WARMEST DAY ON RECORD   
FOR JANUARY 5TH...WITH THAT RECORDED IN 1989.  THE NORMAL HIGH   
TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY 5TH IN BROKEN BOW IS 37 DEGREES.   

A DAILY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 69 DEGREES WAS SET AT MILLER   
FIELD IN VALENTINE ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON JANUARY 5TH...ECLIPSING THE   
OLD RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY 5TH OF 65 DEGREES WHICH   
WAS SET IN 1930.  THE NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY 5TH IN   
VALENTINE IS 36 DEGREES...TO PUT THE NEW RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE   
FOR THIS DATE INTO PERSPECTIVE.   

THE DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED 73 DEGREES AT THE   
IMPERIAL MUNICIPAL AIRPORT ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON...JANUARY 5TH.    
THIS SHATTERS THE OLD RECORD HIGHEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE OF 70   
DEGREES PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED ON JANUARY 5TH 1927. THE NORMAL HIGH   
TEMPERATURE FOR IMPERIAL ON JANUARY 5TH IS 41 DEGREES.   

A DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 69 DEGREES WAS SET THURSDAY   
AFTERNOON AT LEE BIRD FIELD IN NORTH PLATTE.  THIS BROKE THE OLD   
DAILY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY 5TH OF 67 DEGREES...WHICH   
WAS PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED ON THIS DATE IN 1935 AND IN 1927. THE   
NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY 5TH IS 38 DEGREES FOR NORTH   
PLATTE.

Original post:
While some cold records were being set in parts of the Southeast yesterday, January heat records have been absolutely crushed in the Northern Plains this afternoon. The National Weather Service reported in the past hour that Aberdeen, South Dakota, where climate records date back over a century to 1896, surpassed its previous all-time record high for the entire month of January by 3° with a reading of 63° at 3:10 pm CST. The old record of 60° was last set on January 24, 1981. Today's record also incinerates the old daily record for January 5 (46°, 1935) by the unbelievable margin of 17°.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota has also set a daily record by an amazing amount, considering that records began there as far back as 1893. The new record of 62° exceeds the old record (49°, 1985) by 13°. Yesterday's high of 54° at Sioux Falls also tied a daily record set in 1916.

Yet another long-standing record fell at Huron, South Dakota. The high of 65° exceeded by 18° the old record of 47° first set in 1898 and tied in 1935. This was also an amazing 39° above normal and an even 100° above the record low for the date of -35° set back in 1884. Climate records began there in 1881.

At Mitchell, South Dakota, the high of 68° was 17° above the old record of 51° set in 1935. It was also an incredible 41° above normal. Records began at Mitchell in 1893.

Rapid City, South Dakota, records extend back only to 1942, but the high temperature of 66° had already broken the daily record by 6° as of 11 am this morning. Temperatures there have reached at least as high as 70°F at 1 pm MST.

Records also extended southward into Iowa, where Sioux City set a new high of 68°, easily exceeding the old record of 61° in 1956. Records there date back to 1889.

Records reported by the National Weather Service for yesterday, January 4, include:

                     HIGH     PREVIOUS  
    CITY             JAN 4TH     RECORD   YEAR      
    ---------------  -------    --------  ----      
    ACADEMY SD          60         55     1935  
    MITCHELL SD         58         54     1987      
    SIOUX CITY IA       58         54     1964      
    VERMILLION SD       58*        58     1989      
    HURON SD            57         54     1987      
    YANKTON SD          57         56     1989  
    SIOUX FALLS SD      54*        54     1916  
    DESMET SD           52         50     1962  
    SIOUX CENTER IA     52         49     1964

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. surface temperature as of 3 pm CST, January 4, 2012, showing unseasonable heat surging northward in the central part of the country, from Unisys

Century-Old Florida Low Temperature Records Tied, Broken

2012-01-04T18:00:00.008-05:00

Image (click to enlarge): MODIS satellite surface temperature image with surface observations near 2 am EST, January 4, 2012, via CIMSS/University of Wisconsin

Jan. 5 Update: Preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center indicate the following additional low temperature records were tied in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina:

Anniston AL       17 (tie, 2002)
Macon GA          18 (tie, 2008)
Florence SC       16 (tie, 2008)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .

Original post:
A strong, but narrow, cold outbreak set or tied daily low temperature records in northern Florida and southern Georgia this morning. At Gainesville, Florida, where records have been kept since 1891, the old record from 1900 was broken by 2°. Preliminary National Weather Service record reports for January 4 at official reporting locations (ASOS stations) include (old record in parentheses):

Alma GA           19 (22, 2001)
St. Simons Is. GA 26 (tie, 2010)
Naples FL         36 (39, 2002)
Gainesville FL    20 (22, 1900)
Jacksonville FL   22 (tie, 1887)
Apalachicola FL   26 (tie, 2010)
Tallahassee FL    18 (tie, 1928)

The 1918 records in southern Florida remained intact, however, as Ft. Lauderdale missed its record of 32° by 10°, and Miami missed its similar record by 11°.

The Heat Parade: December Heat Records Exceed Cold By 80%;Annual Ratio Jumps to 2.8 to 1 in 2011

2012-01-02T18:27:00.009-05:00

Aided by a strong warm surge toward the end of the month, new U.S. daily high temperature records exceeded daily cold records in December by a ratio of 1.8 to 1, a margin of 80%. The overwhelming excess of heat records continued into New Year's Day, when the 116 high maximum records set or tied absolutely crushed the one lonely low minimum record (at a co-operative station 3 miles northeast of Marlin Texas).

The December high/low record ratio was equal to the ratio for the preceding fall season, but the extreme summer ratio of over 11 to 1 pushed the annual value to 2.8 to 1, well above the 2.3 to 1 in 2010. Although January's heat records were only about 4% more numerous than the cold records, the ratio was over 1 for every individual month in 2011. The last time cold records exceeded heat records in a month was a year ago, in December 2010.

Preliminary data from NOAA/ESRL show that U.S. December average temperatures were noticeably below normal only in the desert southwest and parts of Texas. Elsewhere, temperatures were as much as 6°C (nearly 11°F) above average in North Dakota and western Minnesota. To the north, temperatures ranged even higher relative to average in western Canada, as high as 8°C in some areas. December temperatures were also quite warm across nearly all of continental Europe.

For 2011 as a whole, U.S. temperatures averaged above the new 1981-2010 climatological base nearly everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. The heat bullseye was centered in the drought areas of Oklahoma and northern Texas. The coldest areas relative to average were in the Pacific Northwest and California.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for December 2010 through December 2011, seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, and annual ratio for 2011 and 2010;
- Monthly total counts of daily high temperature and low temperature records set in the U.S. for December 2010 through December 2011
- U.S. December 2011 temperature departure from climatological average
- Europe December 2011 temperature departure from climatological average
- U.S. 2011 annual temperature departure from climatological average
CapitalClimate charts from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
U.S. and Europe monthly and annual temperature maps from NOAA/NCEP via ESRL

The Sky's The Limit

2012-01-02T14:16:00.001-05:00

Tom Toles 'toon today:

Washington Temperature Update: Late December Surge Ties for 6th Warmest

2011-12-31T17:59:00.004-05:00

A warm surge which exceeded expectations in the past 5 days has pushed the Washington December average temperature to a tie for the 6th warmest in 141 years of climate history. Although it was well below the record of 70° set in 1965, today's high of 62° was 8° above the forecast from Monday and 18° above the climatological average. The morning low of 46° was 17° above its average and 2° above the average daily high. In contrast to the high, which was 8° from the daily record, the low was a whopping 59° away from the record of -13° set in 1880. The daily departure of 18° above average was the largest of the month and the 9th double-digit departure this December. There were 8 days in the month which had temperatures of 60° or higher.

Images (click to enlarge): Top 11 warmest Decembers in Washington DC; CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com)

2011 Weather Review: Mind-Boggling Extremes

2011-12-29T00:43:00.003-05:00

NOAA's Kathryn Sullivan and Weather Underground's Jeff Masters discuss the year's weather extremes and the climate implications on the PBS News Hour Wednesday evening, December 28:

Watch How 2011 Became a 'Mind-Boggling' Year of Extreme Weather on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

Chicago Precipitation Update: 2011 Second Wettest Year

2011-12-27T21:26:00.003-05:00

The 0.06" of rainfall through 4 pm today pushes the Chicago year-to-date rainfall to 49.41", exceeding the previous second highest annual total recorded in 1983.

Third Warmest Christmas on Record in UK

2011-12-27T00:52:00.005-05:00

The Beeb reports that Christmas 2011, the mildest in 90 years, was the third warmest in history for the UK. The highest temperature of 15.1°C was actually reported in the north, at Dyce, Scotland.

For a full video report, click here.

Yet Another Top-10 Warmest Year for Washington; 2011 To Rank 4th Highest in 141-Year Heat Parade

2011-12-26T16:11:00.009-05:00

A balmy December is combining with the hottest month ever recorded to close out 2011 as the 4th warmest in Washington DC climate records dating back to 1871. Based on the December average so far of 45.1°, which is 4.7° above the 1981-2010 baseline, the yearly average of 59.9° will edge out 2010 by 0.1° to take the 4th position in the Washington annual heat parade.

Bumping 2006 into the 11th position, this year will take its place as the 5th year out of the last decade to be in the top 11 of all time. Three of the top 6 warmest years have now occurred in the 8 years beginning with 2004.

Projected temperatures for the remainder of this week, while above the seasonal average, will likely lower the monthly mean to 44.6°, but that will not be enough to change the yearly average. The projected average would make this month the 7th warmest December in history.

Indications for rest of winter?

As reported here 6 years ago, December temperatures are virtually uncorrelated with January's in Washington. However, looking just at the warmest Decembers, there is some indication that seasonal snowfall is likely to be below average. For the previous 10 warmest Decembers, the average total seasonal snowfall was 12.5", compared with a 1981-2010 average of 14.5". Only 3 out of the 10 seasons were above average. The highest was 27.6" in 1982-1983. Note, however, that 6.6" of that had already fallen in December, compared with a trace this year; the remainder occurred in February.

Images (click to enlarge): Top 10 warmest years and warmest Decembers in Washington DC; Total seasonal snowfall following warmest Decembers in Washington; CapitalClimate charts from National Weather Service data, background images © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com)

The Quest for Energy: Good News and Bad News

2011-12-24T00:04:00.003-05:00

The good news: There's plenty of oil.
The bad news: We're going to burn it all.
Author Daniel Yergin discusses his book The Quest on the PBS News Hour; unlike in some previous interviews, the subject of climate is actually raised:

Watch Author Daniel Yergin on U.S. Need for a 'Diversified Energy Portfolio' on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

Pre-Christmas Heat Update: Records Set in NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA

2011-12-22T10:31:00.004-05:00

Preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center show that at least 13 major daily high temperature records were set or tied yesterday from Virginia to New York (alphabetically by state):

                                    Previous         Period of
Location                            Record   Date    Record (yr)      
DE WILMINGTON NEW CASTLE (KILG)  62   58   12/21/1949  67
NJ ATLANTIC CITY INTL AP (KACY)  63   61   12/21/1973  64
NJ NEWARK INTL AP (KEWR)         62   61   12/21/1957  76
NJ MILLVILLE MUNI AP (KMIV)      61   60   12/21/1990  61
NY NY CITY CNTRL PARK (KNYC)     62   62   12/21/1923 135
NY NEW YORK LA GUARDIA AP (KLGA) 61   59   12/21/1993  63
NY NEW YORK JFK INTL AP (KJFK)   59   57   12/21/1957  63
NY WESTCHESTER CO AP (KHPN)      59   57   12/21/2002  49
PA PHILADELPHIA INTL AP (KPHL)   63   59   12/21/1990  70
PA MIDDLETOWN HARRISBG AP (KMDT) 59   59   12/21/1998  67
PA DUBOIS FAA AP (KDUJ)          54   54   12/21/1988  44
PA BRADFORD RGNL AP (KBFD)       53   51   12/21/1988  54
VA WASHGTN DULLES INTL AP (KIAD) 61   60   12/21/1998  49

As previously noted, a record was also set at Baltimore.

The total number of daily low temperature records set or tied in all 50 states yesterday: 1.

Pre-Christmas Warmth Breaks Mid-Atlantic Temperature Records

2011-12-21T23:02:00.003-05:00

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 11 pm EST, December 21, 2011, from Unisys

Southerly winds ahead of a strong storm system have broken daily temperature records from Virginia to New York this evening. At Kennedy Airport, New York the previous record high for December 21 was 56° in 1973, but the 11 pm temperature is 57°, where it has been for the last 2 hours. Other preliminary records set or tied (previous records in parentheses) include:

LaGuardia NY          61° (59°, 1993 and 1973)
Atlantic City NJ      63° (62°, 1923)
Reading PA            61° (tie, 1923)
Washington Dulles VA  61° (60°, 1998 and 1971) 
Baltimore/BWI MD      63° (61°, 1956 and 1885)

Earlier this evening, the temperature at Central Park, New York, where records began in 1869, reached at least 61°, but the record high there was 62° in 1923.

Record Daily Rainfall Pushes Chicago Toward 2nd Wettest Year

2011-12-14T17:56:00.004-05:00

December 15 Update: Yesterday's final rainfall total of 1.43" exceeded the old daily record at Chicago by over 40%. The monthly total to date, including an additional 0.02" today, brings the annual amount to 49.20", only 0.15" below the second highest on record.

Original post:
Today's heavy rainfall at Chicago set a daily record for December 14 and pushed the annual total closer to the second wettest year in 140 years of records. The 1.13" reported in the preliminary daily summary as of 4 pm CST exceeded the 0.99" first observed in 1907 and tied in 1975. The year to date total of 48.88" is 36% above the normal amount of 35.83". This is the third highest annual total, behind:

1) 2008   50.86"   
2) 1983   49.35"

The 1.35" at Peoria also exceeded the daily record of 1.14" in 1975. The year to date total there of 39.12", however, is behind the 41.29" last year.

The 0.5" of snow so far this month at Chicago is well below the average amount of 3.3". Last year at this time, the monthly total was 6.9". Temperatures so far in December have averaged 4.2° above normal.

Precipitation Records Broken Tennessee to New England

2011-12-08T17:49:00.007-05:00

Images (click to enlarge): 24-hour precipitation ending 7 am EST, December 8, 2011, from National Weather Service; Locations of daily precipitation records, December 7, 2011, from National Climatic Data Center

In addition to the all-time cold-season (November-March) daily rainfall record set at Washington, DC, records were also broken at 25 other major reporting locations (ASOS stations) on December 7. According to preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center, the following new daily rainfall records were set from Tennessee to New England (alphabetical by state, amounts in inches):

State Location                        New     Old     Date   Years of Record
CT    HARTFORD (KBDL)                 2.05    1.8   12/7/1976  69
DE    WILMINGTON NEW CASTLE (KILG)    1.94    1.09  12/7/1976  69
MA    BOSTON (KBOS)                   1.6     1.15  12/7/1959  91
NH    CONCORD ASOS (KCON)             1.52    1.2   12/7/1976  90
NJ    MILLVILLE MUNI AP (KMIV)        2.46    1.94  12/7/1971  64
NJ    NEWARK INTL AP (KEWR)           1.9     1.26  12/7/1996  76
NJ    ATLANTIC CITY INTL AP (KACY)    1.55    1.46  12/7/1971  64
NY    WESTCHESTER CO AP (KHPN)        1.55    1.45  12/7/1976  62
NY    ALBANY INTL AP (KALB)           1.43    0.88  12/7/1976  73
PA    PHILADELPHIA INTL AP (KPHL)     2.04    1.14  12/7/1996  70
PA    ALLENTOWN AP (KABE)             1.72    1.54  12/7/1976  63
PA    WILLIAMSPORT RGNL AP (KIPT)     1.55    1.37  12/7/1976  63
PA    WILKES-BARRE INTL AP (KAVP)     1.32    1.04  12/7/1976  62
PA    ALTOONA FAA AP (KAOO)           1.31    1.04  12/7/1976  62
PA    MIDDLETOWN HARRISBG AP (KMDT)   1.25    0.95  12/7/1959  76
RI    PROVIDENCE (KPVD)               1.55    1.43  12/7/1976  69
TN    BRISTOL AP (KTRI)               1.46    1.25  12/7/1957  63
VA    WASHINGTON REAGAN AP (KDCA)     3.1     1.34  12/7/1971  75
VA    WASHGTN DULLES INTL AP (KIAD)   2.14    1.13  12/7/1976  49
VA    LYNCHBURG INTL AP (KLYH)        1.8     1.13  12/7/1976  81
WV    ELKINS RANDOLPH CY AP (KEKN)    1.8     1.35  12/7/1957  85
WV    BLUEFIELD MERCER CO AP (KBLF)   1.71    0.72  12/7/1996  52
WV    BECKLEY RALEIGH CY AP (KBKW)    1.66    0.85  12/7/1971  48
WV    MARTINSBURG E WV RGNL AP (KMRB) 1.46    1.05  12/7/1976  85
WV    CHARLESTON YEAGER AP (KCRW)     1.3     0.89  12/7/1950  63
WV    MORGANTOWN HART FLD (KMGW)      1.11    0.95  12/7/1976  66

In addition to the Washington, DC record, the Bluefield report is also an all-time December daily record.

Rainfall Sets Mid-Atlantic Records;Update: Wettest December Day in History

2011-12-07T18:52:00.007-05:00

1 AM Update: The final record-breaking total daily rainfalls:

Washington National 3.10" (1.34", 1971)
Washington Dulles   2.14" (1.13", 1976)
Baltimore/BWI       2.38" (1.27", 1976)

The Washington National amount exceeded the normal monthly precipitation of 3.05" for December.

10 PM Update: With 0.14" more rain in the past hour, the daily total is unofficially over 3" for the first time in ANY MONTH from November through March! Here are the previous daily records for each month:

Nov 2.95" 1943
Dec 2.81" 1977 
Jan 2.77" 1915
Feb 2.29" 1896 
Mar 2.79" 1881

9 PM Update: Washington National has now had just under 1" of additional rainfall since 4 pm, bringing the total to 2.91". This is now unofficially the wettest December day since precipitation records began in 1871, exceeding the old record of 2.81" on December 18, 1977.

Original post:
Cold-season precipitation extremes tend to be lower than those in warmer seasons because cold air holds less moisture than warm air. With heavy rainfall still falling, however, daily precipitation records for December 7 have already been set as of 4 pm in the Mid Atlantic area. Current totals (old records in parentheses):

Washington National 1.93" (1.34", 1971)
Washington Dulles   1.33" (1.13", 1976)
Baltimore/BWI       1.18" (1.27", 1976)

Note: The Baltimore record was easily exceeded by the 0.54" which fell in the next 3 hours.

U.S. Fall Heat Records Decline From Summer's Torrid Pace; 2011 Ratio to Date Nearly 3 to 1

2011-12-05T18:19:00.007-05:00

Following summer's spectacular pace of over 11 daily heat records for every cold record in the U.S., the ratio for meteorological autumn (September-November) declined to 1.8 to 1. While November's ratio of 1.7 to 1 was well below the August peak of 22.2 to 1, it was the 11th consecutive month in which heat records exceeded cold records. December 2010 was the only month since February of last year in which cold records outnumbered record highs. For the year 2011 to date, the cumulative ratio is 2.9 to 1, vs. 2.3 to 1 for 2010.

Preliminary NOAA/NCEP data show that fall temperatures averaged above the new 1981-2010 base period over much of the U.S., particularly along the northern border and into Canada. Temperatures averaged at least 2°C above normal across the northern Plains and northern New England. The only significant area of below average temperatures was in parts of the Southeast, including Georgia, Alabama, southern Mississippi, southern South Carolina, and northern Florida.

More details on November's temperatures should be available later this week when the National Climatic Data Center issues its State of the Climate National Overview.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for November 2010 through November 2011 and seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, data from NOAA National Climatic Data Center, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
- U.S. September-November 2011 temperature departure from climatological average from NOAA/NCEP via ESRL

Alaska Megastorm Update III: Winds as High as 85 mph, 40-Foot Waves Reported

2011-11-09T17:44:00.005-05:00

Images (click to enlarge): Water levels and wind speeds through 12:00 AKST, November 9, 2011 at Nome, Alaska; Peak wind gusts along western Alaska coast through 8 am AKST, November 9, 2011, from National Weather Service

The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts as high as 85 mph were observed from the Bering Sea storm at Tin City, Alaska. The maximum gust at Wales was 84 mph. Waves as high as 40 ft. were reported in the Bering Sea.

The storm moved over the northeastern tip of Russia early this morning with a minimum barometric pressure of 946 mb., heading into the Chukchi Sea. This makes it "one of the deepest systems in recent history to move through the Bering Sea."

Other peak wind reports (mph) include:

CAPE LISBURNE(AWOS)                   75                     
KOTZEBUE/RALPH WIEN (ASOS)            73                     
KIVALINA ARPT                         71                     
POINT HOPE (AWOS)                     69                     
CAPE ROMANZOFF (AWOS)                 60                     
ST MICHAEL                            58                     
TELLER                                58                     
EMMONAK                               56                     
NOME (ASOS)                           55                     
BETHEL AIRPORT (ASOS)                 54                     
SAVOONGA AIRPORT                      54

Alaska Megastorm Update II: "Epic Magnitude" Developing

2011-11-08T14:15:00.006-05:00

1 PM AKST Update: The latest surface weather map, from this morning, shows the major storm in the western Bering Sea with a minimum pressure of 948 mb, down 8 more millibars in the past 6 hours and 32 mb in 24 hours:

Original post:

Image (click to enlarge): Surface weather map for Alaska and northern Pacific at 12 noon GMT, November 8, 2011, from National Weather Service

A National Weather Service Special Weather Statement issued within the last hour warns of an "EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING STORM OF AN EPIC MAGNITUDE RARELY EXPERIENCED" for the west coast of Alaska. Over the Bering Strait coast and St. Lawrence Island, sustained hurricane force winds with gusts as high as 90 to 100 mph are predicted. Wind gusts have already been reported as high as 45 mph at Kivalina and 55 mph at Point Hope on the Chukchi Sea.

The storm moved past the western Aleutians around 3 am AKST this morning and is expected to move past the Bering Strait tonight. The surface weather map (above) from this morning shows a rapidly deepening 956 mb low of bomb proportions, down 24 mb in the past 18 hours.

From the National Weather Service:

...ALASKA WEST COAST TO BE HIT BY ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE BERING  
SEA STORMS ON RECORD...  
  
A POWERFUL AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM OF NEAR RECORD OR   
RECORD MAGNITUDE IS BEARING DOWN ON THE WEST COAST OF ALASKA.   
AT 9 AM THIS MORNING THE STORM CENTER WAS LOCATED ABOUT 600   
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND. THE STORM IS FORECAST   
TO MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH THE CENTER   
MOVING ACROSS THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA TONIGHT. ON WEDNESDAY   
THE STORM WILL TAKE A NORTHWESTWARD TRACK INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA.  
  
THE STORM WILL BRING EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS TO ALL OF THE  
ALASKA WEST COAST BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON OVER ST LAWRENCE  
ISLAND AND BEGINNING THIS EVENING OVER THE REMAINDER OF  
THE WEST COAST...ACCOMPANIED BY WIDESPREAD MAJOR COASTAL  
FLOODING AND SEVERE BEACH EROSION OVER MANY PARTS OF THE  
COASTLINE. THE WIND WILL PUSH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER INTO NORTON   
SOUND...RAISING SEA LEVELS TO 7 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL IN NORTON   
SOUND AND ALONG THE BERING STRAIT COAST. THE EXTREMELY STRONG   
WINDS WILL PRODUCE HIGH WAVES WHICH WILL PUSH THE HIGH WATER   
FARTHER INLAND.   
  
OVER THE BERING STRAIT COAST AND ST LAWRENCE ISLAND...  
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 75 MPH WITH MAXIMUM  
GUSTS OF 90 TO 100 MPH. ALONG THE CHUKCHI COAST...WIND  
SPEEDS OF 65 TO 70 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 90 MPH ARE   
EXPECTED. IN THE NOME AREA...SUSTAINED WINDS AS HIGH AS   
60 MPH ARE EXPECTED...WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH. ALMOST ALL OTHER   
AREAS OF THE WEST COAST WILL EXPERIENCE MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS   
OF AT LEAST 50 TO 60 MPH.  

...THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING  
STORM OF AN EPIC MAGNITUDE RARELY EXPERIENCED. ALL PEOPLE  
IN THE AREA SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR LIVES  
AND PROPERTY.

Alaska Megastorm Update I: Hurricane Force Winds Predicted

2011-11-07T16:26:00.005-05:00

Image (click to enlarge): The latest (8:30 pm GMT, November 7) satellite image shows an intensifying storm moving away from northern Japan and east of the Kamchatka Peninsula as it approaches the Bering Sea, from SSEC, University of Wisconsin

3:30 PM AKST Update: The National Weather Service is calling for this to be "one of the most severe Bering Sea storms on record":

A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING STORM LOCATED ABOUT 600 MILES SOUTHWEST  
OF SHEMYA THIS AFTERNOON WILL INTENSIFY INTO ONE OF THE  
MOST SEVERE BERING SEA STORMS ON RECORD AS IT MOVES NORTHWARD  
ACROSS THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM  
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE.  
  
THE STORM WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD WINDS OF 40 TO 55 MPH  
WITH HIGHER GUSTS OVER THE WEST COAST TUESDAY NIGHT INTO  
WEDNESDAY EVENING. STRONG WEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE   
OVER ST LAWRENCE ISLAND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. GUSTS TO 70 MPH CAN BE  
EXPECTED ALONG THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA AND IN AREAS NEAR KOTZEBUE.  
WINDS OF 60 TO 75 MPH ARE EXPECTED OVER ST LAWRENCE ISLAND AND   
THE BERING STRAIT COAST. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO APPROACH HURRICANE  
FORCE OVER THE CHUKCHI SEA AND NORTHERN BERING SEA. THE STRONG  
WINDS WILL GENERATE SEAS TO AS HIGH AS 20 FEET OVER THE CHUKCHI  
SEA...AND TO 15 TO 25 FEET OVER THE NORTHERN BERING SEA.  
  
THE STRONG WINDS WILL PUSH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER INTO NORTON  
SOUND...RAISING SEA LEVELS TO AS HIGH AS 8 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL  
TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE HIGH SEA LEVELS  
COMBINED WITH HIGH WAVES WILL PRODUCE SEVERE BEACH EROSION AND  
MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN SHORES OF  
NORTON SOUND AND ALONG THE BERING STRAIT COAST. HIGH WATER  
LEVELS WILL PRODUCE COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE SOUTHERN  
SHORE OF NORTON SOUND. STRONG WINDS AND WAVE ACTION MAY PUSH   
ICE IN NORTON BAY ON SHORE.  
  
MODERATELY ELEVATED SEA LEVELS AND HIGH WAVES WILL CAUSE  
SEVERE BEACH EROSION AND MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE  
SOUTH AND WEST FACING COASTS OF ST LAWRENCE ISLAND TUESDAY   
THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  
  
ALONG THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST FROM CAPE KRUSENSTERN NORTHWEST...  
SOUTHEAST WINDS GUSTING TO A HIGH AS 70 MPH WILL PRODUCE HIGH  
WAVES AND SOME ELEVATION OF SEA LEVELS...RESULTING IN SEVERE   
BEACH EROSION AND MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING. THE VILLAGE OF  
KIVALINA WILL BE HIGHLY VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE CAUSED BY  
BEACH EROSION AND COASTAL FLOODING.  
  
THE STORM WILL ALSO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND BLIZZARD  
CONDITIONS OVER ALMOST ALL OF THE WEST COAST TUESDAY NIGHT  
AND WEDNESDAY. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF AS MUCH AS 14 INCHES  
ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE SOUTHERN SEWARD PENINSULA COAST AND  
IN PARTS OF THE INTERIOR SEWARD PENINSULA.  
  
AGAIN...THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING  
STORM WHICH WILL BE ONE OF THE WORST ON RECORD OVER THE BERING   
SEA AND THE WEST COAST.

Original Post:
This morning's forecast discussion from the National Weather Service notes that the storm developing in the northern Pacific has been well predicted so far by both the U.S. GFS model and the European model. The models have also been consistent from one run to the next. Winds are forecast to be locally as high as 75 mph along the Alaskan coast. Although the water level may not reach the record height of 1974, the potential for severe coastal damage is very high because of the lack of sea ice. From the NWS forecast discussion:

THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH 75 MPH NEAR SAVOONGA  
AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM ON TUESDAY NIGHT. SAVOONGA IS A  
SINGULAR POINT WITH STRONG SOUTH WINDS BECAUSE ATUK  
MOUNTAIN...SUMMIT ELEVATION 2207 FEET...IS JUST SOUTH OF THE  
VILLAGE.   
  
THE STORM IN THE BERING SEA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY IS REMARKABLY  
SIMILAR TO THE BERING SEA STORM OF NOVEMBER 11 AND 12 1974. THE  
1974 STORM REMAINS THE MOST SEVERE AT NOME IN 113 YEARS OF  
RECORDS THERE. THE CREST AT NOME WAS A 13.2 FOOT RISE IN STATIC  
WATER LEVEL ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. THE CREST THIS TUESDAY NIGHT  
AND WEDNESDAY AT NOME IS EXPECTED TO BE 10 FEET.  
  
DUE TO A STRONG SOUTHERLY INFLUX OF WARMER AIR OVER THE BERING SEA  
COAST STARTING LATE TONIGHT...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED  
AROUND THE ZONES OF THE YUKON DELTA AND NORTON SOUND COASTAL  
ZONES. HENCE...WINTER STORM WARNINGS FOR HEAVY SNOW ARE IN EFFECT  
FOR THOSE AREAS.  
  
INDEED...THE SNOW ON SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND WILL BE MIXED WITH  
RAIN TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT  
FOR SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND AND THE BERING STRAIT COAST.

A Public Information Statement from Fairbanks says, in part:

ALL SOUTH AND WEST FACING COASTS ON THE BERING SEA FROM THE YUKON  
DELTA UP TO BERING STRAIT...AND THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST NORTH OF  
KOTZEBUE UP TO POINT HOPE...ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE MAJOR COASTAL  
FLOODING AND BEACH EROSION TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. SOUTHERLY  
WINDS FROM 40 TO 75 MPH ARE FORECAST TO DRIVE UP THE SEA FROM 4 TO  
10 FEET ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS. THE STRONGEST WINDS AND COASTAL  
FLOODING WILL SPREAD OVER THE NORTHERN BERING SEA TUESDAY NIGHT  
AND THEN OVER THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST ON WEDNESDAY. THE STORM WILL  
SUBSIDE THURSDAY. 
  
NEARLY ALL OF THE ALASKAN NORTHWEST COAST REMAINS ICE FREE AS OF  
TODAY...AND THIS WILL NOT CHANGE FOR SOME TIME. KOTZEBUE SOUND AND  
NORTON BAY ARE ICE COVERED. LARGE STRETCHES OF NORTHWEST ALASKA  
COASTLINE HAVE VIRTUALLY NO ICE COVER TO LESSEN THE IMPACT OF  
INCOMING SURF. THIS WAS NOT SO IN THE 1974 STORM.   
  
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT TURN OUT TO BE AS  
INTENSE AS THE 1974 STORM...IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE  
WIDESPREAD DAMAGE.

Indirect Effects: Arctic Ice Loss Has Immediate Consequences

2011-11-06T18:18:00.007-05:00

Images (click to enlarge): Arctic sea ice extent, November 5, 2011, from National Snow and Ice Data Center; GFS model forecast weather map for northern Pacific and Alaska, November 9, 2011, from NCEP/National Weather Service.

See update for later information.

Original post:
Although it didn't quite break the record low of 2007, this year's minimum Arctic ice extent was the second lowest since satellite observations began in 1979. If current forecasts work out as expected, however, this near-miss is likely to have drastic consequences for the northwest coast of Alaska. This morning's northern Alaska forecast discussion from the National Weather Service Fairbanks office describes the potential impact of a very strong storm developing in the northern Pacific and headed across the Aleutians into the Bering Sea early this week (h/t Stu Ostro):

LOW NUMBER 2 IS REMARKABLY SIMILAR TO THE STORM THAT CAUSED MAJOR  
COASTAL FLOODING ON THE NORTHWEST ALASKA COAST ON NOVEMBER 11 AND  
12 IN 1974. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE OF ANY NOTE IS THAT THE 1974 STORM  
CENTER CROSSED THE ALEUTIANS NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE.  
THIS NOVEMBERS STORM IS DUE TO CROSS THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN AT ITS  
WEST END ON TUESDAY MORNING. THIS NOVEMBERS STORM IS FORECAST TO  
REACH BERING STRAIT WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE 1974 STORM ALSO ENDED  
UP AT BERING STRAIT. IN A FEW WORDS...THE ORIGINS AND PATHS OF  
THESE STORMS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT...BUT THEIR DESTINATIONS ARE  
THE SAME.  

THE OCEAN TIDES ALONG THE NORTHWEST ALASKA COAST THIS WEEK ARE AT  
AVERAGE LEVELS. THE OCEAN TIDES AT THE TIME OF THE 1974 STORM WERE  
AT MOST A FOOT OR TWO ABOVE THIS YEARS. HENCE...THIS IS A MINOR  
FACTOR. IN THE 1974 STORM...THE WIND DRIVEN RISE IN SEA LEVEL WAS  
CLOSE TO 10 FEET.  
  
IN THE 1974 STORM THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE SEA ICE IN NORTON  
SOUND. THE SOUTHEAST CHUKCHI SEA...FROM BERING STRAIT UP TO  
BARROW INCLUDING KOTZEBUE SOUND...HAD EXTENSIVE ICE COVER DURING  
THE 1974 STORM. THIS YEAR THERE IS ONLY A SMALL AREA OF SHORE ICE  
IN EASTERN NORTON SOUND. ON THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST THERE IS ONLY A  
NARROW STRETCH OF ICE...LESS THAN 10 MILES WIDE...FROM BERING  
STRAIT TO POINT HOPE. KOTZEBUE SOUND IS 50 TO 70 PERCENT ICE  
COVERED. ALL OF THIS MEANS IS THAT THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE SHORE  
ICE TO PROVIDE SOME PROTECTION TO THE COAST.  
  
THE COASTAL FLOODING IN THE 1974 STORM BEGAN AT MID DAY IN NORTON  
SOUND...AND TOWARD EVENING IN KOTZEBUE SOUND. IF LOW NUMBER 2  
FOLLOWS THE SCRIPT OF THE FORECAST MODELS...THE COASTAL FLOODING  
WITH THIS YEARS STORM WOULD BEGIN IN NORTON SOUND ON TUESDAY  
EVENING...AND ALONG THE CHUKCHI SEA COAST FROM BERING STRAIT TO  
POINT HOPE ON TUESDAY NIGHT.  
  
THE LATEST GFS MODEL FORECASTS INDICATE A SHARP CHANGE IN THE  
WIND OVER NORTON SOUND ON WEDNESDAY MORNING...SHIFTING FROM  
SOUTHEAST TUESDAY NIGHT TO SOUTHWEST WEDNESDAY MORNING. IF THE  
OUTCOME ON WEDNESDAY FOLLOWS THIS FORECAST...THERE WOULD BE  
ADDITIONAL COASTAL FLOODING ON THE YUKON DELTA AND IN EASTERN  
NORTON SOUND.  
  
LOW NUMBER 2 IS GOING TO BE A DANGEROUS STORM.

The top image shows the Arctic ice extent as of yesterday, November 5. The southern edge is well north of the northern coast of Alaska, leaving the Bering Sea, Norton Sound, and Chukchi Sea along Alaska's west coast ice-free.

The second image shows an output weather map from the main U.S. global forecast model, the GFS. It is a 60-hour forecast for 6 am GMT on Wednesday, November 9. A very strong storm with a minimum pressure of 940 mb is centered in the Bering Sea, moving toward the Bering Strait and pounding the west coast of Alaska with dangerously high winds.

The sea ice extent doesn't need to set a new record in order to have serious consequences.

More October Snowfall Records Reported

2011-10-31T14:06:00.004-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): October daily snowfall records broken ("X") or tied on October 30, 2011, from National Climatic Data Center

The number of all-time October daily snowfall records set on October 29 has now increased to 27. In addition to the records previously reported are the following (previous record in parentheses):

Hartford CT     12.3" (1.7", 1979-10-10)
Bridgeport CT    3.5" (0.5", 1987-10-04)
Worcester MA    11.4" (7.5", 1979-10-10)
Concord NH      13.6" (2.1", 1969-10-22)

An additional 69 records were reported broken yesterday (October 30). These were primarily cooperative reporting stations, but the official station at Portland, Maine reported a new record of 5.2", vs. the old record of 3.6" (1969-10-22) in a 91-year snowfall history.

October Snow: Historical Context

2011-10-30T13:47:00.003-04:00

The current October snowfall in the northeastern U.S. has certainly been impressive, particularly in the areal extent, but the historical record shows that autumn snowstorms were both earlier and more frequent in the mid-19th century. In his definitive history, "Early American Winters", David Ludlum lists records of early season snowfalls in 21 of the 50 years from 1821 to 1870, including many in September and several in late August. The mid-1830's were particularly prolific, with 3 events before the middle of October in 1836, including at least "some snow" as far south as South Carolina.

1821: Oct. 25-26, Salem MA: "sufficient to cover the ground"

1823: Sept. 29, Worcester County MA: "snow in several parts of the county"

1829: Sept. 3, Sherburne VT: "an inch and a half deep"

1832: Aug. 25-26, New Hampshire: "White Mountains covered by snow apparently several inches deep"

1833: Oct. 30, Somerset PA: "Two inches snow, the fourth fall of the autumn"
Oct. 29-30, Philadelphia PA: "Houses whitened by snow"

1835: Sept. 30, northern New England: 6-12" in Franklin County, Vermont; 6" at Kilkenny New Hampshire

1836: Sept. 28: Hamilton NY 4", Bridgewater NY 3", Rochester NY 1"
October 5-6: Onondaga County NY 2 feet, Auburn NY 24-26" Cortland NY 18", Hollidaysburg PA 26", Sideling Hills MD 10", Loudoun County VA 5", Yorkville SC "some snow"
October 11-12: Hamilton NY 35" "measured as it fell", Madison NY 12", Bridgewater NY 18", Oxford NY 12"

[More reports to be added later]

Early-Season Snow Sets Mid-Atlantic October Records

2011-10-30T10:26:00.007-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Storm total snowfall ending 10 am EDT, October 30, 2011, from National Weather Service

October 31 Update: Snow totals updated with final reports from National Weather Service. The highest reported amount was 32" at Peru, Massachusetts.

11 AM Update: The Weather Channel is reporting via tweet that Jaffrey NH had a storm total of 31.4". A National Weather Service report has increased the Plainfield MA amount to 30.8".

Original Post:
What was little more than a very heavy frost in the Washington, DC metro area yesterday set some all-time October daily snowfall records at higher elevations and north of the Mason-Dixon line. Preliminary data indicate that 20 October daily records were set from West Virginia through New York. Among the major reporting locations, New York's Central Park had the longest period of record (135 years), with the 2.9" smashing the previous record of 0.8" on October 30, 1925. It was therefore the first time that over 1" of snow had been observed in Central Park in October. Other October daily records included (previous record in parentheses):

Newark NJ       5.2" (0.3", 1952-10-20)
La Guardia NY   1.7" (1.2", 1962-10-26)
Kennedy NY      1.5" (Trace, 2002-10-30)
Islip NY        0.3" (0.0")
Harrisburg PA   9.7" (Trace, 1965-10-28)
Wilkes-Barre PA 9.1" (4.4", 1962-10-26)
Allentown PA    6.8" (1.2", 1972-10-19)

The largest amounts of snow from this storm were in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where totals of 2 feet or more were reported; the highest was 27.8" at Plainfield. The highest amounts reported by the National Weather Service by state through Sunday, October 30, included:

...CONNECTICUT...
BAKERSVILLE                          18.6                     
WINSTED                              18.0                     
DANBURY                              17.2                     
BRISTOL                              17.0                     
LITCHFIELD                           16.5                     
RIDGEFIELD                           15.5                     
THOMASTON                            13.5                     
WINCHESTER CENTER                    13.5                     
NEW PRESTON                          12.8                     
OXFORD                               12.3                     
NORTH CANAAN                         12.0 

...MASSACHUSETTS...
PERU                                 32.0                     
PLAINFIELD                           30.8                     
WINDSOR                              26.0                     
ASHFIELD                             25.5                     
GOSHEN                               25.0                     
TOLLAND 2 S                          25.0                     
BUCKLAND                             24.0                     
HEATH                                24.0                     
SAVOY                                24.0                     
WORTHINGTON                          24.0                     
TYRINGHAM                            23.0                     
BECKET 5.6 SSW                       22.6                     
BLANDFORD                            22.0                     
LEYDEN                               22.0                     
ROYALSTON                            22.0                     
TEMPLETON                            22.0                     
WASHINGTON                           22.0                     
WORCESTER                            14.6                     
BOSTON                                1.0 

...MARYLAND...
FROSTBURG 1 N                        11.6                     
SABILLASVILLE                        11.5                     
FROSTBURG                             9.5                     
THURMONT 6 W                          8.5                     
ELDERSBURG 2 NW                       7.8                     
SMITHSBURG 3 NE                       7.3                     
MANCHESTER 5 NW                       7.0                     
REDHOUSE                              7.0                     
WOLFSVILLE                            7.0                     
WOODLAND 1 W                          7.0    

...MAINE...
ACTION 1 N                           20.0                     
BRIDGTON                             17.4                     
NEWFIELD 4.0 WSW                     17.0                     
CORNISH 1 SSW                        14.8                     
OTISFIELD 1 W                        14.0                     
GRAY NWS OFFICE                      12.9                     
PARIS 4 E                            12.0                     
S CASCO                              11.0                     
WATERVILLE 2.5 NNE                   11.0                     
HOLLIS                                9.8                     
VAUGHAN WOODS 2 ESE                   9.0                     
PORTLAND 5.1 NW                       6.5                     

...NEW HAMPSHIRE...
JAFFREY                              31.4                     
BOW 1.6 NW                           25.8                     
TROY                                 25.0                     
PETERBOROUGH                         24.0                     
WEST SWANZEY                         24.0                     
FITZWILLIAM                          23.0                     
CONCORD ASOS                         22.2                     
HILLSBORO                            21.5                     
BEDFORD                              20.8                     
GILFORD 3 SSE                        20.0                     
WASHINGTON 1 ESE                     19.5                     
NORTHFIELD                           19.1                     
MERRIMACK                            19.0                     
NORTH PEMBROKE 2 E                   19.0                     

...NEW JERSEY...
WEST MILFORD                         19.0                     
LAKE HOPATCONG                       17.0                     
SPARTA                               16.8                     
ROCKAWAY TWP 0.7 NE                  16.6                     
MARCELLA                             16.4                     
ROCKAWAY                             16.4                     
LONG VALLEY                          16.0                     
RANDOLPH TWP 0.8 W                   14.5                     
HARDYSTON TWP 3.2 SE                 14.1                     
NEWARK                                5.2                     

...NEW YORK...
MILLBROOK                            21.6                     
BLOOMINGBURG 2 SW                    17.7                     
YANKEE LAKE                          16.5                     
HARRIMAN                             16.0                     
HOPEWELL JUNCTION 2.4 SSE            14.8                     
WOODRIDGE 5.5 S                      13.6                     
TAGHKANIC                            13.1                     
COPAKE FALLS                         13.0                     
ARMONK                               12.5                     
MILLWOOD                             12.4                     
HIGHLAND MILLS                       12.0                     
KENT CLIFFS                          12.0                     
MIDDLETOWN                           12.0                     
MONROE                               12.0                     
SOMERS                               12.0                     
ALBANY 1 SW                           3.8                     
NEW YORK CENTRAL PARK                 2.9                     

...PENNSYLVANIA...
HAZLETON 1 E                         16.0                     
HUFFS CHURCH                         16.0                     
SPRINGTOWN                           16.0                     
FREELAND 1 S                         14.0                     
TOBYHANNA                            13.3                     
MOSCOW                               13.0                     
WILLIAMS TWP                         13.0                     
ARENDTSVILLE 6 NW                    12.5                     
TOWAMENSING TWP                      12.5                     
LAUREL SUMMIT                        12.2                     
ALBRIGHTSVILLE                       12.0                     
BLUE KNOB                            12.0                     
FAYETTEVILLE 6 ENE                   12.0                     
PHILADELPHIA                          0.3                     

...RHODE ISLAND...
WEST GLOCESTER                        6.6                     
NORTH FOSTER                          6.5                         
                
BURRILLVILLE                          4.5                     
GREENVILLE                            4.0                     

...VIRGINIA...
SKYLAND                               9.0                     
BIG MEADOWS                           8.0                     
LINDEN 2 N                            8.0                     
WILDE ACRES 1 N                       7.4                     
BETHEL 2 ESE                          6.5                     
CEDAR GROVE 2 NE                      6.0                     
FRONT ROYAL                           5.6                                      
WINCHESTER                            5.0                     

...VERMONT...
WEST HALIFAX 0.2 SE                  16.0                     
BRATTLEBORO 2.0 SW                   15.1                     
WILMINGTON                           13.0                     
SPRINGFIELD                           9.5                     
LUDLOW                                7.0                     
WOODSTOCK                             6.0                                     

...WEST VIRGINIA...
MOUNT STORM 2 SSE                    14.0                     
KIRBY 4 WNW                          12.0                     
CHERRY GROVE 6 WSW                   10.0                     
MOUNT PISGAH 2 E                     10.0                     
TERRA ALTA                           10.0                     
BLOOMERY 1 SW                         8.0                     
FRANKLIN 4 W                          8.0                     
SMITH CROSSROADS 1 W                  7.3                     
CORTLAND 2 SW                         6.5                     
ROMNEY 4 E                            6.4

Early Mid-Atlantic Snow: Seasonal Harbinger or Freak Event?

2011-10-29T17:55:00.004-04:00

Today's remarkably early snowfall "battered" (seriously, the term used by a major media outlet) the Washington, DC metro area with widespread traces of snow. Here at the climate capitalist capitol, at least 100 meters higher than the official reporting location, there are white areas on grass and car tops. The official daily totals through 5 pm (and likely final amounts as the storm moves off to the northeast) are:

Washington National  Trace
Washington Dulles    0.6"
Baltimore BWI        Trace

The National and BWI amounts tied daily records from 1925 and 1952, respectively. The Dulles amount was a record for the date. However, all 3 totals fell short, in both amount and timing, of the records set for earliest measurable snow on October 10, 1979.

If March snow is rare in Washington, October snow is even rarer. Prior to today, a trace or more of snow had been observed in only 10 Octobers since official snowfall records began in 1888. Only 3 of those had measurable amounts:

1925 2.2"
1940 1.5"
1979 0.3"

Does such early snowfall have any significance for the remainder of the season? The record says a resounding "No". The chart shows the October snowfall totals (dark blue) along with the entire seasonal amounts for each of the 10 seasons (lighter blue). Three of the snow seasons (1892-93, 1917-18 and 1957-58) had substantially above-average amounts of 30" or more. On the other hand, 3 other seasons had single-digit totals of under 7", including 1972-73, which had the lowest seasonal total on record of 0.1" (tied with 1997-98). Overall, the average of the 10 seasons with October snow was 18.9", just barely above the historical average of 18.2" for all seasons from 1888 through 2011 (green bars on the right).

Image (click to enlarge): October snowfall vs. full-season totals for Washington, DC, 1888-2011; CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com)

Exceptional Texas Drought Slightly Dented

2011-10-13T10:53:00.009-04:00

Images (click to enlarge):
- Texas drought monitor for week ending October 11, 2011 from NOAA/USDA
- Weekly Texas drought conditions from July 2010 to October 2011, CapitalClimate chart from U.S. drought monitor data
- 24-hour precipitation ending 9 am CDT, October 9, 2011 from National Weather Service
- U.S. seasonal drought outlook, October 6 to December 31, 2011 from Climate Prediction Center/NWS

Long-awaited precipitation in the past week has put the first significant dent in the ongoing Texas extreme drought conditions, but 92% of the state remains in the extreme (D3) or exceptional (D4) category. Exceptional drought, the highest category, has dropped from the peak of 88% of the state last week to 73% currently.

Rainfall in the past week as high as 8" in portions of north-central Texas were as much as 6 times the normal amounts, but larger quantities over a more sustained period are needed to continue reducing the extreme drought. Some 24-hour precipitation totals through 9 am CDT, Sunday, October 9, include:

Comanche          8.30”
Dublin            6.10”
Stephenville      5.78”
Cleburne          5.53”
Mineral Wells     5.14”
Goldthwaite       5.00”
Weatherford       4.79”
Breckenridge      4.77”
Hico              4.72”
Waco Lake         4.35”
Waco Airport      4.28”
Palo Pinto        4.00”

The current drought outlook, released October 6, shows drought persisting through the end of the year in most of Texas, with the exception of some improvement in the panhandle region and adjacent areas of Oklahoma. The outlook was published before the heavy rains of the past weekend, however.

PBS Uses Slow News Day to Cover Keystone XL Pipeline

2011-10-10T21:30:00.002-04:00

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

The PBS NewsHour used the slow news cycle of the Columbus Day holiday today to cover the Keystone XL pipeline issue:

A Canadian company wants to build a $13 billion, 1,700-mile pipeline to carry crude oil from the so-called tar sands region in Alberta through six states and a major aquifer to Texas for refining. Correspondent Tom Bearden reports from Nebraska on the high-stakes environmental and economic battle over the Keystone XL project.

PBS, which seems to be increasingly outsourcing its news gathering operations, presented a comment by one "JASON BERRINGER, Laborers International Union Local 1140", who said:

I worked with TransCanada before on another pipeline. And I have never had a company like them that took care of environmental issues like they have. They really care about the environment.

This would be the same Jason Berringer who was spotted in a paid pro-pipeline ad on a commercial cable news network within an hour or so of the PBS broadcast.

Speaking of outsourcing, there was no mention of the glaring conflict of interest represented by the State Dept. outsourcing the environmental review to a company with close ties to Keystone:

A few days into the demonstrations, the State Department released the final environmental impact statement on the project, a study three years in the making. It says the pipeline would carry a blend of synthetic crude oil and diluted bitumen and poses no significant impact to the environment.

In a classic example of false equivalence, the feckless reporter concludes, "Both sides accuse each other of playing fast and loose with the truth."

Mid Atlantic Record Low Daily Maximum Temperatures Set or Tied;Update: Washington Ties Record for 2nd Consecutive Day

2011-10-02T23:53:00.008-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. daily high temperatures for October 2, 2011, from Unisys

October 3, Midnight Update: The National Weather Service reported today that Salisbury, Maryland also set a new record low daily maximum temperature for October 2 (Sunday). The high of 55° beat the old record of 56° in 1940. Salisbury climate records date back to 1900.

October 3, 5:30 PM Update: A late surge of sunshine could change the final result, but today's high temperature so far of 53° at Washington National is tied with the record daily low maximum from 1974. The 51° at Dulles has already missed the record of 49°, also from 1974. Baltimore has also missed the record with 56°, vs. the record of 52°, again from the same year.

October 3, 12 PM Update: The preliminary daily high temperatures are confirmed.

Original post:
Unless temperatures inexplicably jump several degrees in the next hour or so, daily record low maximum temperatures for October 2 will be set or tied at all 3 major reporting locations in the Washington/Baltimore area. The high of 58° at Richmond, however, is 4° above the daily record low maximum. The high of 56° at Philadelphia has also missed its record, which is 53° in 1899. Today's preliminary highs and the previous records for the date in parentheses from National Weather Service climate data:

Washington National 52 @ 1253 PM  (52, 1939) 
Washington Dulles   50 @ 1226 PM  (54, 1974)
Baltimore BWI       51 @ 1120 AM  (53, 1939)

UK Sets National Daily Heat Record for 3rd 4th Consecutive Day;October Monthly Record in Jeopardy Also Broken

2011-09-30T23:15:00.013-04:00

October 2 Update: The Met Office reports that today's high temperature of "29.3C at Cambridge (at 14:29 bst) and Santon Downham (at 14:43 bst)" is a new national record for October 2, exceeding the 28.1C in 1908 (unspecified location).
[Update: Location of previous record was Whitby, North Yorkshire.]

October 1, 3 PM BST Update: The October record has been exceeded by an additional 0.4°C:

The maximum daily temperature record for the UK as a whole for October has been broken with 29.9C recorded at Gravesend at 14:42 BST. The previous record value [29.4°C] was reported at March in Cambridgeshire on 1st October 1985. The Wales maximum temperature value for October has also been exceeded with Hawarden reporting 28.2C at 14:12 BST. The previous was 26.4C at Ruthin in Denbighshire (1st October 1985).

The BBC reports:
Record UK temperature for October set at 29.9C
From the Guardian:
Indian summer brings out the crowds

October 1, 2 PM BST Update: The Met Office reports that the UK October monthly high temperature record has been broken:

The maximum daily temperature record for the UK as a whole for October has been broken with 29.5C recorded at Gravesend at 13:27 BST. The previous record value was reported at March in Cambridgeshire on 1st October 1985. The Wales maximum temperature value for October has also been exceeded with Trawscoed reporting 26.6C at 12:50 BST. The previous was 26.4C at Ruthin in Denbighshire Temperature values are still rising, and this message will be updated later this afternoon.

Original post:
The Beeb reports that UK national daily heat records were set for both September 29 and 30, beating previous records, each over a century old, by as much as 2 degrees:

On Friday, Cambridge set a new record temperature for the hottest ever 30 September with 29.2C (84.5F), beating the 27.8C (82F) set in Maidenhead, Berkshire in 1908.

Kew Gardens in west London set another record on Thursday with 28.8C (83.8F) - the highest ever 29 September temperature, beating the mark of 27.8C (82F) set in York in 1895.

With unseasonably hot temperatures continuing into the weekend, the monthly record for October is also in jeopardy of breaking:

The 29.4C (84.9F) record was set at March, Cambridgeshire on 1 October 1985

BBC weather forecaster Darren Bett said there was a "good chance" the October record would be broken on Saturday.

More from the Guardian:
Weather records tumble as Britons head for the beach

Image (click to enlarge): UK forecast temperatures for 4 pm, Saturday, October 1, from Met Office

Minnesota Temperature Update: Record High at International Falls; Century-Plus Records Fall in Dakotas

2011-09-28T17:30:00.004-04:00

Midnight Update: The updated preliminary climate report shows a high temperature of 82°.

Other high temperature records in North and South Dakota were (old record in parentheses):

Grand Forks ND    88°  (85°, 1995)
Fargo ND          90°  (89°, 1905) 
Huron SD          93°  (92°, 1897)
Mitchell SD       93°  (tie, 1897)

The Huron high temperature represented a 50° swing from the morning low of 43°.

Original post:
After hitting a record September low 2 weeks ago, northern Minnesota temperatures have rebounded to summer levels. Today's high of 81° at International Falls broke the record of 80° set in 1922. With 3 days remaining in the month, the September average through yesterday remains at 0.3° above the 1981-2010 normal.

Northern Minnesota's Coldest Temperature So Early in Season

2011-09-15T11:52:00.006-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Median date of first freezing temperature, from Midwestern Regional Climate Center, via National Weather Service

The low temperature of 19° this morning at International Falls, Minnesota was the coldest ever reported so early in the season and an all-time record low for September. The National Weather Service reports:

The low temperature at 7:06 am this morning at International Falls was 19 degrees. This breaks the record low for a September 15th, 24 degrees, set in 1964. This is the coldest temperature reported for so early in the season. This also marks the first time in station history that a temperature in the teens has been recorded in the month of September.

The low temperature at Embarrass also reached 19°. The low of 36° at Minneapolis tied the record for the date from 1964 and 2007. The 29° at Eau Claire broke the record of 30° from 2007. Other record lows included:

Rochester MN          31 
Prairie Du Chein WI   27
Viroqua WI            31

The record lows follow a near-record streak of 80° days at Duluth ending Monday:

Today, September 12th, marks the 5th consecutive day of an 80 degree temperature at Duluth. Only two other stretches have been as long or longer than this in the month of September. Six consecutive days above 80 is the record set in 1906, September 5-10. The other 5 day string was in 1948 from September 1-5.

Dallas Breaks Annual 100° Day Record; Houston and Austin Extend Records

2011-09-13T14:25:00.004-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Number of 100° temperature days at Houston and elsewhere in southeastern Texas

5 PM CDT Update: The preliminary high temperature at Dallas was 107°, smashing the old daily record by 7°.

Also breaking a record by a wide margin was Houston, where the 102° high crushed the 99-year-old record of 98° from 1912. This year has now had both the earliest (June 5) and latest 102° temperatures in a calendar year at Houston. This is the 45th day of 100° temperatures at Houston, breaking the old record of 32 by almost 2 weeks.

The Austin high of 105° broke another long-standing record, exceeding the 100° in 1918. It was the 7th 100° day at Austin this month and the 84th this year, extending the record more than 2 weeks beyond the old record of 69. The record was broken on August 24.

Original post:
The Dallas temperature reached 101° at 1 pm CDT today, breaking the record for yearly number of days with 100° temperatures. The old record was 69 in 1980. This also breaks the old record high temperature for the date of 100° set in 1965. If the forecast high of 106° is reached, it will break the record by 6°.

This is also the 86th day of 100° or higher at Waco, exceeding the 1980 record of 63 days by over 3 weeks.

Lee's Leftovers Loosen Soggy Stranglehold on Mid Atlantic; Record Rain Relinquishes Reign

2011-09-09T18:16:00.005-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Mid Atlantic precipitation for 7 days ending 8 am EDT, Sept. 9, 2011, from National Weather Service

After drenching the Mid Atlantic region for most of the week, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee have finally let up their relentlessly rainy reign. Although some flash flood warnings and watches as well as river flood warnings remain in effect, the heaviest rainfall has ended, leaving behind some record-breaking accumulations. Double-digit storm totals have been recorded across at least 10 states from Louisiana to New York. The highest amount appears to be 20.96" at a cooperative station near Colonial Beach, VA, but a plume of very heavy rainfall extended northward through the Susquehanna River watershed of Pennsylvania and New York.

In the immediate Washington/Baltimore area, official storm total rainfall reports include:

Washington National  6.47 
Washington Dulles    6.44
Ft. Belvoir         13.48 
Baltimore BWI        8.11
Baltimore Downtown   6.90 
Andrews AFB          9.06 
Patuxent River       2.13

Selected reports of 10" or more as of 2 pm today from the National Weather Service include:

...ALABAMA...
FYFFE 6.3 NNE                       12.94                      
MOBILE 10.2 WSW                     12.93                      
ALBERTVILLE 4.8 WNW                 12.44                      
TILLMANS CORNER 4.3 WNW             11.74                      
GRAND BAY 0.6 NW                    11.32                      
ORANGE BEACH 3.0 ENE                10.50                      
FOLEY 2.0 SSW                       10.39       

  ...FLORIDA...
MILTON 1.4 NNE                      10.03       

...GEORGIA...
LA FAYETTE 2.9 NE                   11.01                      
RINGGOLD 5 W                        10.21 

...LOUISIANA...
HOLDEN                              15.43                      
N.O. CAROLLTON                      14.32                      
MAUREPAS                            13.63                      
PONCHATOULA 4 SE                    13.22                      
CONVENT 2 S                         13.04                      
WESTWEGO 1.8 NE                     13.03                      
RESERVE 0.5 SSE                     12.89                      
GRAY 0.5 ENE                        12.15                      
NEW ORLEANS/MOISANT                 11.00     

...MARYLAND...
WALDORF 3.6 SSE                     13.63                      
CROFTON 1.5 NNE                     11.85                      
ELLICOTT CITY 1.7 N                 11.36                      
CLARKSBURG                          10.60         

...MISSISSIPPI...
WAVELAND 1.1 NW                     14.11                      
FLORENCE 0.9 E                      13.45                      
SAUCIER 6.4 ESE                     11.75                      
GULFPORT 2.0 NE                     11.71                      
LONG BEACH 0.7 S                    11.59                      
PASS CHRISTIAN 5.0 N                11.31                      
RICHLAND 0.3 WSW                    11.25                      
PHILADELPHIA 5.4 E                  11.18                      
JACKSON WFO                         11.15                      
GULFPORT-BILOXI                     11.14                      
PASCAGOULA                          10.96     

...NEW YORK...
APALACHIN 3.0 SE                    11.83                      
ENDICOTT 5.2 SSE                    11.46                      
TIOGA TERRACE                       10.64                      
BINGHAMTON/BROOME                   10.09      

...PENNSYLVANIA...
ELIZABETHTOWN 1.1 NNE               15.58                      
PINE GROVE                          14.70                      
PAXTONIA 1.7 E                      13.95                      
HARRISBURG AIRPORT                  13.30                      
MUIR AAF/INDIANTOWN                 12.58                      
WILLIAMSPORT                        10.20          

...TENNESSEE...
CLEVELAND 3 ESE                     12.22                      
CHARLESTON                          11.50                      
CHATTANOOGA-LOVELL FIELD (ASOS)     10.28        

...VIRGINIA...
COLONIAL BEACH 1.2 SSE              20.96                      
WOODBRIDGE 0.5 SSW                  16.20                      
LORTON 1.2 NE                       15.09                      
FORT BELVOIR/DAVISON AFB            13.77                      
RESTON 2 N                          11.45                      
CHANTILLY 2 ESE                     10.18

All-Time Daily Rainfall Record at Binghamton: Second in 2 Years

2011-09-08T17:17:00.005-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Binghamton region 24-hour precipitation ending 8 am EDT, Sept. 8, from National Weather Service

6 PM Update: As of 5 pm, an additional 1.41" of rain has fallen at Binghamton today, bringing the monthly total to 10.08" and the yearly total to 51.27". After slightly more than a week, this month's total is now the second highest all-time amount, behind the 11.45" in June 2006.

Original post:
After setting an all-time daily precipitation record just last September, Binghamton, New York has smashed that record by a wide margin with 7.49" yesterday (Sept. 7). Since the previous record was set in 2006, the 3 highest daily rainfall amounts at Binghamton have now occurred within the last 5 years. Climate records began in 1951 at the current airport location, but climate data in the city extend back to 1890. The record rainfall for any 24-hour period at the previous location was 4.55" in Sept. 1924.

The year-to-date total rainfall is also a new all-time annual record.

The National Weather Service report:

A RECORD RAINFALL OF 7.49 INCHES WAS SET AT THE BINGHAMTON REGIONAL
AIRPORT YESTERDAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD FOR SEPTEMBER 7TH OF
0.80 INCHES SET IN 1996.

THIS CALENDAR DAY RAINFALL ALSO SHATTERS THE RECORD FOR ANY DAY.
THE OLD RECORD WAS 4.24 INCHES ON SEPTEMBER 30TH IN 2010.

PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR NOW TOTALS 49.86 INCHES AS OF MIDNIGHT.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD FOR ANY YEAR OF 49.78 INCHES SET IN 2006.
NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR REST OF THE YEAR IS CLOSE TO 10 INCHES SO
THIS SHOULD BREAK THE RECORD BY MANY INCHES.

Record River Flooding Forecast for Susquehanna Valley in PA, NY

2011-09-08T00:40:00.010-04:00

Sept. 8, 4 PM Update: Added storm rainfall map.

Sept. 8, 2 PM Update: As of 2 pm, the river stage of 25.6 ft at Binghamton is above the old record. The current forecast crest is 26.2 ft.

Vestal is at 35.3 ft, which is over 1 foot above the old record, and the forecast crest is 36.9 ft.

The new forecast crest of 40.7 feet at Wilkes Barre is just 0.2 ft below the all-time record from storm Agnes in 1972.

Original post:
The record daily rainfall at Harrisburg on Wednesday was part of extremely heavy precipitation throughout the Susquehanna River watershed. As of midnight, the river depth of 16.4 ft. at Harrisburg was just below the flood stage of 17 feet. The crest of 26.2 feet predicted for Saturday would be the 4th highest on record at Harrisburg.

Upstream, the forecast 38.5 feet at Wilkes Barre would be the 2nd highest on record. At Vestal, New York, the current 30.5 feet is well above major flood stage, and the forecast of 34 feet would be an all-time record. The current 20.5 feet at Binghamton is also at major flood stage, and the forecast 26 feet early Thursday afternoon would beat the all time record of 25 feet on June 28, 2006.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Pennsylvania storm rainfall total, Sept. 4-8, 2011, from National Weather Service
- Observed and forecast river stages at Harrisburg, Wilkes Barre, Vestal, and Binghamton, from National Weather Service

Record Daily Rainfall for September at Harrisburg

2011-09-07T18:20:00.007-04:00

Sept. 8, 2 PM Update: The final Harrisburg daily rainfall total for Sept. 7 is 7.71". The 2-day total is 9.73". The storm total since Sunday evening is 13.30" as of 9 am today.

Sept. 8, 1 AM Update: Heavy rain has continued through midnight at Harrisburg, with 2.08" just in the hour ending at 1 am EDT (midnight standard time). That puts the daily total at the 2nd highest of all time.

Original post:
Downpours from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee have been producing record rainfall amounts in the Mid Atlantic area. The National Weather Service reports that the 5.05" of precipitation as of 5 pm today at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has already smashed the old daily record of 1.18" set in 1998. Unofficially, this is also an all-time daily record for September, beating the 4.59" on Sept. 26, 1975. The top two all-time daily rainfall records at Harrisburg were set on June 21 and 22, 1972 from the remnants of Hurricane Agnes. Today's amount is now the 3rd highest all-time amount.

The 2-day total on Sept. 25-26, 1975 was 8.87". Together with the 2.02" yesterday, the current 2-day total is 7.07". Climate records began at Harrisburg in 1888.

The previous top 10 daily rainfall amounts at Harrisburg:

22-Jun 1972 9.13
21-Jun 1972 5.81
31-May 1889 4.66
23-Aug 1933 4.66
26-Sep 1975 4.59
14-Sep 1973 4.34
21-Aug 1915 4.30
25-Sep 1975 4.28
10-Sep 1907 4.17
23-Jul 1969 4.00

Image (click to enlarge): Mid Atlantic radar image September 7, 2011, from Accuweather

Lee Rainfall Breaks Every All-Time Record from 24 Hours to a Week at Jackson MS

2011-09-06T22:03:00.007-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Storm total rainfall in the Jackson, Mississippi region ending 7 am CDT, Sept. 6, 2011, from National Weather Service

The torrential rains from Tropical Storm Lee have broken precipitation records for every interval from 24 hours to one week at Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson climate records date back to 1896. The National Weather Service reports:

THE FOLLOWING JACKSON PRECIPITATION RECORDS WERE BROKEN DURING THIS 
RAINFALL EVENT...

*ALL TIME 24 HOUR RAINFALL RECORD (10.68" FROM 9/4 9 AM - 9/5 9 AM)
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 8.50" FROM 4/6/2003 11 AM - 4/7/2003 11 AM

*ALL TIME 2-DAY RAINFALL RECORD (10.82")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 8.54" ON APRIL 11-12 1979

*ALL TIME 3-DAY RAINFALL RECORD (11.15")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 9.81" ON APRIL 11-13 1980

*ALL TIME 4-DAY RAINFALL RECORD (11.15")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 9.82" ON APRIL 11-14 1980

*ALL TIME 5-DAY RAINFALL RECORD (11.15")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 9.82" ON APRIL 11-15 1980

*ALL TIME 6-DAY RAINFALL RECORD (11.15")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 10.45" ON APRIL 8-13 1980

*ALL TIME 7-DAY RAINFALL RECORD (11.15")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 10.55" ON APRIL 7-13 1980

*SEPTEMBER 4TH DAILY RAINFALL (5.12")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 2.37" IN 1949

*SEPTEMBER 5TH DAILY RAINFALL (5.70")
  PREVIOUS RECORD: 1.48" IN 1906

Arctic Sea Ice Melt Equals 2007 Record Pace

2011-09-06T16:28:00.003-04:00

After lagging somewhat in August, the current Arctic total sea ice extent has caught up with the record low area of early September 2007. This puts it very close to the all-time record low at the 2007 seasonal minimum. The average ice extent for last month was the second lowest for August, behind only 2007. The chart (click to enlarge) from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) shows data through Sept. 5.

The NSIDC reports:

Arctic sea ice extent averaged for August 2011 reached the second lowest level for the month in the 1979 to 2011 satellite record, and has now fallen below the minimum daily extents in 2010 and 2008, previously the third- and second-lowest Arctic sea ice extents in the satellite record.

Talk to the Invisible Hand: "On Climate Change, the Market Has Spoken"

2011-09-06T14:22:00.003-04:00

Stephen Colbert likes to say, for example, that movie X must be better than movie Y because "the market has spoken." All good satire is grounded in truth, however, and Mr. Market is speaking up on the issue of climate change. This week's issue of Businessweek (Sept. 5-11) has an editorial subtitled, "Where GOP naysayers err on climate change." In sharp contrast to the drivel that appears on the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal, it takes a non-ideological view:

On at least one subject, the free market and its traditional political supporters have been thrust into conflict. That subject just happens to be the most important one facing the planet. A number of Republican Presidential candidates have made questioning the legitimacy of climate change a significant part of their campaign strategy. Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann dispute whether global warming is man-made. Perry suggests that climate is affected by many variables, which scientists can manipulate “so that they will have dollars rolling into their projects.” Mitt Romney is on the fence. Only Jon Huntsman Jr. has declared definitively that he “trust[s] scientists on global warming.”

Politicians have been known to dissemble about risk because voters don’t generally like to hear bad news. The insurance industry makes its money telling it to you straight—how long you’ll likely live, what price your home will fetch, whether to repair or trade in your car. For this reason it’s worth noting that insurers already factor climate change into their models for measuring, pricing, and distributing risk. Insurers have no incentive to lie. If they are more scared than they should be in pricing risk, shareholders will punish them. If they aren’t scared enough, nature will do the job.

Follow the link to see the full text.

Record Rainfall From Lee Approaches Exceeds Double Digits on Gulf Coast

2011-09-03T21:04:00.005-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Tropical Storm Lee rainfall totals through 7 pm CDT, Sept. 3, from National Weather Service

Sept. 5, 11 pm Update: Updated storm totals of 10" or more reported by the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center:

SELECTED STORM TOTAL RAINFALL IN INCHES THROUGH 1 PM CDT 

...ALABAMA...
TILLMANS CORNER 4.3 WNW             11.74                      
MOBILE 10.2 WSW                     11.62                      
GRAND BAY 0.6 NW                    11.32                      
ORANGE BEACH 3.0 ENE                10.50                      
FOLEY 2.0 SSW                       10.39                      
THEODORE 3.7 WNW                    10.31      
       
...FLORIDA...
MILTON 1.4 NNE                      10.03  

...LOUISIANA...
HOLDEN                              15.43                      
N.O. CAROLLTON                      14.32                      
MAUREPAS                            13.63                      
PONCHATOULA 4 SE                    13.22                      
CONVENT 2 S                         13.04                      
RESERVE 0.5 SSE                     12.43                      
GRAY 0.5 ENE                        12.15                      
MARRERO 1.9 E                       11.21                      
MONTICELLO 3.0 ENE                  10.91                      
NEW ORLEANS/MOISANT                 10.80                      
PONCHATOULA 11.8 E                  10.59                      
MERAUX 0.8 WNW                      10.10  

...MISSISSIPPI...
FLORENCE 0.9 E                      13.45                      
WAVELAND 1.1 NW                     13.20                      
SAUCIER 6.4 ESE                     11.75                      
GULFPORT 2.0 NE                     11.71                      
LONG BEACH 0.7 S                    11.59                      
PASS CHRISTIAN 5.0 N                11.31                      
RICHLAND 0.3 WSW                    11.25                      
PHILADELPHIA 5.4 E                  11.18                      
PEARL 3.4 ESE                       11.14                      
JACKSON WFO                         11.13                      
KILN 6.6 N                          10.90                      
GULFPORT-BILOXI                     10.78

Sept. 4, 11 pm Update: Updated official totals of 5" or more through 7 pm CDT:

HOLDEN              13.93   
N.O. CAROLLTON      12.97  
MAUREPAS            11.97  
CONVENT 2S          11.55  
N.O. AUDUBON        11.42 THROUGH 7PM  
GALLIANO            11.40  
LIVINGSTON          11.24  
N.O. ARMSTRONG      10.72 THROUGH 7PM  
PASCAGOULA          10.70 THROUGH 7PM  
SLIDELL CITY        10.62  
COVINGTON           10.46  
TERRYTOWN 3S         9.86  
BILOXI               9.79 THROUGH 7PM  
N.O. LAKEFRONT       9.48 THROUGH 7PM  
PONCHATOULA 4SE      9.42  
BAPTIST              9.31  
GULFPORT AIRPORT     9.13 THROUGH 7PM  
BOOTHVILLE           8.93 THROUGH 7PM  
BAYOU MANCHAC PT     8.80 (I)  
ROBERT               8.50  
DENHAM SPRINGS       8.40  
OCEAN SPRINGS        8.24  
BATON ROUGE          8.17 THROUGH 7PM  
ABITA RIVER          8.05  
DONALDSONVILLE 4SW   7.82  
B.R. SHERWOOD        7.79  
MANDEVILLE           7.72  
GONZALES             7.63  
SLIDELL AIRPORT      7.52 THROUGH 7PM  
BAYOU SORREL LOCK    7.26  
BUSH                 6.70   
B.R. CONCORD         6.39  
BOGALUSA             6.10  
MCCOMB               5.87 THROUGH 7PM  
KILLIAN              5.50 (I)  
SUN                  5.32  
PLAQUEMINE 2N        5.03

Original post:
A report from the National Weather Service this evening shows rainfall amounts from Tropical Storm Lee approaching double digits along the Gulf Coast. Precipitation reports over 5" are shown below. The daily amounts of 4.95" through 5 pm today at New Orleans and 5.59" at Baton Rouge have already set new records for the date.

RAINFALL TOTALS ARE GIVEN IN INCHES. TOTALS BEGIN AT 7AM THURSDAY   
MORNING AND END AT 7AM THIS MORNING UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.   
INCOMPLETE DATA IS NOTATED WITH AN (I) BEHIND THE OBSERVATION.   
  
OFFICIAL NWS OBSERVATIONS  
AUTOMATED OBSERVATIONS/CO-OP SITES  
  
PASCAGOULA          9.59 THROUGH 7PM  
N.O. AUDUBON        9.58 THROUGH 7PM  
N.O. CAROLLTON      8.82  
GALLIANO            8.80  
N.O. LAKEFRONT      7.87 THROUGH 7PM  
SLIDELL CITY        7.77  
N.O. ARMSTRONG      7.63 THROUGH 7PM  
BOOTHVILLE          7.19 THROUGH 7PM  
GULFPORT            6.78 THROUGH 7PM  
BILOXI              6.78 THROUGH 7PM  
3S TERRYTOWN        6.74  
4SW DONALDSONVILLE  6.13  
BATON ROUGE         5.95 THROUGH 7PM  
B.R. SHERWOOD       5.85  
SLIDELL AIRPORT     5.62 THROUGH 7PM  
KILLIAN             5.50  
GONZALES            5.47  
BAYOU MANCHAC       5.30 (I)

U.S. Heat Records Continue Crushing Cold: Incredible 22 to 1 Ratio in August

2011-09-01T14:53:00.007-04:00

When new daily high temperature records overwhelmed low temperature records by well over 20 to 1 in the first 9 days of August, it was impressive enough, but the amazing excess has continued right through the end of the month. The over 3000 daily heat records swamped the 142 cold records by 22.2 to 1. In fact, the excess of heat records over 3000 was more than the total number of cold records!

For meteorological summer (June-August) as a whole, the ratio increased to 11.4 to 1 from 8.4 to 1 through July, and the year to date is now at 3.4 to 1, more than 50% above the average for the previous decade.

Texas accounts for 1343 of the heat records in August, but Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas are also well represented. Despite the moderating maritime influence of the Gulf of Mexico, the 95° at Key West Naval Air Station (KNQX), Florida on the 5th, 10th, and 13th set new records for each date and also tied the all-time highest temperature. In all, Key West set or tied temperature records on 12 days out of the month.

The 47 new and 53 tied all-time high temperature records were focused mainly in the first week of the month, but Texas made a strong showing in the final few days, with Ft. Hood breaking its old record of 108° for the second time at 112° on the 27th and then tying it the next day. Houston (109°) and Austin (112°) also tied all-time records.

Preliminary data from ESRL/NOAA through August 30 show that temperatures over the entire contiguous U.S. and adjacent Canada were above or within less than 0.5°C of the 1981-2010 average with the exception of immediate coastal California and Washington.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly ratios of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for July 2010 through August 2011. Data from NOAA National Climatic Data Center, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
- Decadal average ratios of heat records to cold records, from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
- Preliminary August 2011 U.S. temperature departure from 1981-2010 average from ESRL/NOAA

Exceptional Texas Drought Exceeds 80%; Mainstream Media Chronic Climatological Challenge Continues

2011-09-01T11:50:00.010-04:00

Although slowing from its rapid pace of early spring, the spread of Exceptional Drought, the highest of 4 categories, has continued through the end of summer in Texas. The latest Drought Monitor, released this morning and based on data through August 30, shows that over 80% of the state is now rated D4 (Exceptional):

A chart posted a couple of days ago by John Nielsen-Gammon, the Texas State Climatologist, shows how extreme this year's conditions have been relative to history going back to 1895 (h/t to MT):

The PBS News Hour last night devoted nearly 8 minutes to the subject:

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

Although moderator Gwen Ifill and NPR correspondent and Texas native Wade Goodwyn correctly recognized this as the "worst drought in Texas history", the word "climate" was not even uttered. (Neither was it mentioned in the 3 minutes of coverage on the flooding from Hurricane Irene.) With the governor of the state embarked on a vicious anti-science campaign, shouldn't the question at least have been asked? Apparently the reporters have bought into the inane prayer meme:

GWEN IFILL: As you talk to people, to farmers, to ranchers, to people who depend on rain, do they have any innovative or alternative ideas about how to cope with this crisis, other than to get down on their knees and pray for rain?

WADE GOODWYN: Not really.

Some of the viewers evidently did get the message, anyway:

Doug Stewart said:

I listened and watched in shock tonight and Gwen Hill and Wade Goodwyn, both whom I have long respected, discussed the drought in Texas puzzled while failing to connect the dots to make the connection between global warming and CO2 production. Wade's only solution was to pray for rain. What has happened to your courage and objectivity?

Gordon Pricd said:

Again, a story on the Texas drought - and not a mention of climate change. Given the position of Governor Perry - that climate science is essentially fraudulent - isn't a question journalistically justifiable. Indeed, demanded?

If climate change is no longer a topic that can be credibly raised in the context of some of the worst-ever droughts and floods in the nation's history - major items on the same program - then that's a story all on it's own.

rrjim said:

Most inane coverage and questioning by Gwen Ifil I could imagine. Worst draught in Texas history, Governor of Texas running for president who doesn't "believe in" global warming. But not one question about climate change and maybe the connection? Why is that?

North Pole Webcam Displays 2011 Ice Melt

2011-09-01T00:59:00.003-04:00

From NOAA/PMEL:

Deployed on an ice floe at the North Pole in Summer 2011 as part of the North Pole Environmental Observatory.

In 2011, melt was very rapid in July, and the web cam tipped over on July 23 in the melted snow and ice.

Irene Sets 25 All-Time Rainfall Records

2011-08-30T15:59:00.008-04:00

Update: In addition to the 18 all-time records on August 28, there were 24 more which set new daily records for any date in August.

Original post:
Preliminary reports from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) indicate that rainfall from Hurricane Irene set 25 all-time daily rainfall records on August 27-29 from North Carolina to Maine. The map (click to enlarge) from NCDC shows the 18 locations which set records on August 28 alone. First Order National Weather Service stations include:

                 Amount    Previous Record

Danbury CT        5.35"    5.22"  2008-09-06

Teterboro NJ      5.41"	   4.22"  2004-09-29	

Glens Falls NY    3.67"	   3.65"  1971-08-28

St. Johnsbury VT  4.83"	   4.53"  1999-09-17

The St. Johnsbury climate record extends back 118 years.

Dr. Jeff Masters also reports that the 11.23" of rain at Mendo, Vermont "was the greatest single-day rainfall in Vermont's history, according to wunderground's weather historian Christopher C. Burt, beating the 9.92" that fell at Mt. Mansfield on 9/17/1999 during the passage of Tropical Storm Floyd. The 13.30" that fell on East Durham, NY during Irene was just shy of New York State's all-time 1-day rainfall record: 13.70" at Brewster on 9/16/1999, from Tropical Storm Floyd."

Irene's Impact: Costs Estimated $7 Billion, $3 Billion Insured

2011-08-29T17:06:00.006-04:00

CNBC this afternoon reported that Hurricane Irene's economic impacts are likely to reach $7 billion, of which only $3 billion are covered by insurance. Out of 10 extreme weather events this year each costing a billion dollars or more, Irene ranks second or third.

Worldwide, the first 6 months of 2011 have already broken the record for natural disaster losses.

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch . . . Austin Ties Breaks All-Time August Heat Record, [Update] Ditto San Antonio

2011-08-28T15:57:00.010-04:00

4:30 PM CDT Update: No more calls, please, we have a winner. Today is the hottest August day ever in the Austin daily climate history which dates back to 1898. The 112° temperature at 2:26 pm was the highest ever in August and tied for the highest all-time temperature (see below). It also smashed the previous record for the date, set in 1924 and tied in 1990, by 8°.

The high temperature of 110° at San Antonio not only crushed the daily record, set in 1940, by 9°, it also broke the August record by 2°. The all-time record at San Antonio was 111°, also on Sept. 5, 2000. San Antonio climate records began in 1886.

Original post:
While Hurricane Irene has been hogging the limelight, the record rampage of 100° temperatures goes on in Texas. The high of 110° at Austin on Saturday (August 27) tied the all-time August heat record, and the current temperature (3 pm CDT) has at least tied the record again. This raises the annual count of 100° days to date to 73, which is 4 more than the previous record.

The all-time high temperature at Austin was 112° on Sept. 5, 2000.

Irene Sets Rainfall Records in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, NJ, NY, CT, MA, NH, VT; All-Time N Y City Record

2011-08-27T17:43:00.024-04:00

Images (click to enlarge): Hurricane Irene radar image at 5:05 pm, August 27, from Intellicast; 24-hour precipitation ending 8 am, August 28, for New York, Philadelphia, Washington, and Richmond regions, from National Weather Service. [Update: Added 24-hour precipitation ending August 29 for Portland ME, Burlington VT, Albany NY, and Boston regions]

August 29, 3 PM Update: Updated daily rainfall records for August 28 (Sunday):

Caribou ME         1.52"  (0.98", 1967) 

Bangor ME          1.97"  (1.71", 1973)

Concord NH         2.66"  (1.99", 1911)

Burlington VT      3.38"  (2.38", 1971)  

St. Johnsbury VT   4.83"  (1.97", 1971)

Massena NY         1.02"  (0.80", 1971)

Albany NY          4.69"  (3.50", 1971)

Heavy rain extended northward into Canada, where Sherbrooke, Quebec reported 107 mm, and Doaktown, New Brunswick had 89 mm. Montreal measured 56.4 mm, bringing the monthly total to 223.0 mm; normal for August is 92.7 mm.

August 28, 9 PM Update: Today's 3.99" of rain at Central Park, New York breaks the old record for the date of 1.80" set in 1971 and raises the new all-time monthly record to 18.95". That is 464% of the normal August amount to date. The Irene storm total is 6.71".

More new daily rainfall records from today (old record and year in parentheses):

Bangor ME          1.85"  (1.71", 1973)

Concord NH         2.54"  (1.99", 1911)

Burlington VT      2.70"  (2.38", 1971)  

Worcester MA       3.80"  (0.99", 1971) 

Hartford CT        3.84"  (1.35", 1971)

Albany NY          4.56"  (3.50", 1971)

Binghamton NY      2.69"  (1.66", 1990)  

Islip NY           1.80"  (0.72", 2006) 

Newark NJ          5.22"  (2.04", 1971)

August 28, 1:30 PM Update: The National Weather Service reports a near-record water level at the Battery in New York:

  AT 8:42 AM EDT THIS MORNING THE TIDE LEVEL AT THE BATTERY REACHED 

  9.5 FEET MLLW. THIS IS THE SIXTH HIGHEST LEVEL EVER RECORDED AT THE 

  BATTERY. AT 9:06 AM A MAXIMUM SURGE OF 4.5 FEET OCCURRED WITH THIS 

  HIGH TIDE IN COMBINATION WITH THE ASTRONOMICAL TIDE.

  

  OTHER NOTABLE LEVELS REACHED INCLUDE THE TOP TWO OF 11.2 FEET MLLW 

  AND 10.9 FEET MLLW WHICH OCCURRED DURING THE HURRICANE OF SEPTEMBER 

  1821 AND HURRICANE DONNA IN 1960 RESPECTIVELY...AND 9.6 FEET MLLW

  DURING THE NOREASTER OF DECEMBER 1992.

August 28, 1 PM Update: Updated storm total rainfalls for Hurricane Irene, from National Weather Service:

Danbury CT         6.34"

Bridgeport CT      3.25"

Central Park NY    6.71"

White Plains NY    5.97"

Newark NJ          8.73"

Atlantic City NJ   4.56"

Philadelphia PA    4.84"

Dover DE           7.52"

Wilmington DE      5.77"

Georgetown DE      5.69" 

Rehoboth Beach DE  4.88" 

Salisbury MD       7.75"

Ocean City MD     12.09"

Baltimore MD       3.83"  

Easton MD         11.34"

Washington DC      3.36"

Richmond VA        4.73"

Suffolk Airpt VA  11.04"

Elizabeth City NC  7.50"

August 28, Noon Update: The storm total rainfall of 6.71" at Central Park brings the monthly total to an unofficial 18.79", which is an all-time monthly record for New York City. The previous record was 16.85" in September, 1882.

Midnight Update: Philadelphia had 1.70" of rain in the 6 hours ending 8 pm and an additional 2.14" in the following 3 hours.

9 PM Update: Suffolk Airport in Virginia is reporting a storm total rainfall so far of 11.04". The Norfolk official total is incomplete, apparently because of a sensor failure of the automated station, but a co-operative observer reports 7.73".

7 PM Update: The National Hurricane Center reports:

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 14 INCHES HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED OVER A

LARGE PORTION OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNT

OF 14.00 INCHES REPORTED AT BUNYAN NORTH CAROLINA THUS FAR.

Original post:
Heavy rain is still falling from Hurricane Irene in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, but daily rainfall records have already been set as of 5 pm (old record in parentheses):

Richmond VA        3.42" (2.04", 1899)

Norfolk VA         4.47" (3.77", 1998)

Salisbury MD       3.05" (tie,   1922)

Georgetown DE      2.87" (1.14", 1964)

Elizabeth City NC  4.50" (4.33", 1971)

August 26:

New Bern NC        3.30" (2.45", 1999) 

Cape Hatteras NC   3.67" (2.27", 1962)

Philadelphia has also added to its all-time record monthly rainfall with a total so far of 14.38". With 0.39" so far today, Central Park, New York has reached 12.47" for the month, which sets a new record for highest August rainfall.

All-Time Record Wettest Month at Philadelphia

2011-08-26T13:25:00.004-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Philadelphia precipitation for 30 days ending Aug. 25, 2011, from Climate Prediction Center/NCEP/NWS

August 27 Update: Added chart of 30-day precipitation.

Original post:
Hurricane Irene has not yet arrived, and this month is already the rainiest on record at Phildelphia in climate records which extend back to 1872. The National Weather Service reported this morning on the new precipitation record:

..RECORD MONTHLY RAINFALL AT PHILADELPHIA  

  

WITH THE 0.61 INCHES OF RAIN THAT FELL AT PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL  

AIRPORT YESTERDAY, THE AUGUST MONTHLY TOTAL NOW STANDS AT 13.61 INCHES. 

THIS SURPASSED THE PREVIOUS AUGUST RECORD OF 12.10 INCHES, WHICH WAS 

SET BACK IN 1911.     



THIS ALSO MAKES AUGUST 2011 THE ALL TIME WETTEST MONTH ON RECORD   

BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF 13.07 INCHES, WHICH OCCURRED DURING   

SEPTEMBER 1999 /MOSTLY HURRICANE FLOYD/.     



WITH HURRICANE IRENE MOVING UP THE EAST COAST, ADDITIONAL RAINFALL  

WILL PUSH THESE RECORDS HIGHER.

Great Hurricane of 1944: Irene's Billion-Dollar Grandma?

2011-08-25T11:20:00.001-04:00

An analysis published by Blue Hill Observatory shows that 247 tropical cyclones have affected New England in some form since official records began in 1851. Of those, 90 have been hurricanes, but only 15 have made direct landfall on New England or Long Island, an average of less than 1 every 10 years. Only 6 have made landfall after 1944. The most recent was Bob on 8/19/1991. The others were Carol (1954), Edna (1954), Donna (1960), Belle (1976), and Gloria (1985).

As the forecast path of an intensifying Hurricane Irene has veered northeastward toward Long Island and New England, it has invited comparisons with the Great Hurricane of 1944. The extended forecast discussion on Tuesday from the NWS Hydrometeorological Prediction Center said:

AT THIS TIME THIS HAS ALL 

THE LOOK OF A VERY DEEP 

DANGEROUS HURRICANE WITH 

TRACK AND POSSIBLE 

INTENSITY TO THAT OF THE 

GREAT HURRICANE OF 1944.

The 1944 storm, first detected as a fully developed hurricane northeast of the Windward Islands on September 9, skirted the coast near Cape Hatteras before making landfall over eastern Long Island, passing over southeastern New England, and moving along the coast of Maine as an extratropical storm. At its maximum intensity, it was a Category 4 storm east of the Bahamas, diminishing to Category 1 at landfall.

The Monthly Weather Review describes the aircraft observation of the storm on the 12th east of the northern Bahamas:

A weather officer aboard an army reconnaissance plane which became involved in the storm estimated the wind at about 140 miles per hour. He reported turbulence so great that with the pilot and copilot both at the controls
the plane could not be kept under control, and several times it was feared it would be torn apart or crash out of control. When they returned to base it was found that 150 rivets had been sheared off on one wing alone.

Although the Great Hurricane remained offshore before reaching Long Island, it brought very strong winds and heavy rainfall to the Mid Atlantic coast. Highest winds at Cape Hatteras were 110 mph, and the barometer reached 947 mb (27.97 inches of mercury). As the storm moved east of Norfolk on September 14, the highest wind speed downtown was 73 mph, gusting to 90 mph. The 3.97" of rainfall set a record for the date which still stands. The lowest barometric pressure at Norfolk was 985.7 mb (29.11 inches of mercury). The sustained wind speed of 134 mph at Cape Henry in Virginia Beach was an all-time Virginia state record.

Inland, precipitation amounts were much lighter. Both Washington, DC (2.51") and Baltimore (3.15") set still-standing daily records from a stalled frontal system on the 13th, when the storm was still off the coast of Georgia, but received only token amounts from the hurricane itself (0.19" at Washington, Baltimore not available).

Further north, there was considerable damage along the New Jersey coast (see photos), although the center of the storm remained offshore. The University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography reports:

During the storm, New York City saw sustained hurricane force winds of 130 km/h (81 mph) with gusts up to 158 km/h (99 mph). Damages consisted of power outages, some lasting 10 days, and downed trees throughout the city. In nearby Long Island, damages totaled $1 million (1944 USD) on the eastern half of the island alone. The beach eroded up to 6 m (20 ft) in some places, causing houses to be taken by the sea. In Connecticut, the most significant storm impact was the heavy, widespread rainfall. Totals of around 178 mm (7 in) were seen in the Hartford area, but the city of Bridgeport saw the greatest official total at 272.8 mm (10.7 in). Tobacco and fruit damage in Connecticut totaled to about $2 million (1944 USD) with similar overall damage costs occurring in Rhode Island. Greater than $5 million (1944 USD) in damage done on Cape Cod can be attributed to lost boats, as well as fallen trees and utility damage.

Wind records to date were set at Atlantic City (91 mph from northeast), New York (99 mph), and Block Island (88 mph from southeast). The 3.94" of rain on the 13th and the 3.82" from the hurricane on the 14th combined to help make the month the 4th wettest September at Central Park, New York.

Total storm damage was estimated at $100 million, equivalent to roughly $1.2 billion in current dollars. Considering the limitations of observational and warning technology, the death toll from the storm on land was relatively low at 46. However, loss of life was much higher at sea, particularly in the early stages of the storm. Despite being warned that it was steaming directly into the hurricane, the destroyer USS Warrington (DD 383) lost power and sank on the 13th:

The water rushing into her vents caused a loss of electrical power which set off a chain reaction. Her main engines lost power, and her steering engine and mechanism went out. She wallowed there in the trough of the swells - continuing to ship water. She regained headway briefly and turned upwind, while her radiomen desperately, but fruitlessly, tried to raise HYADES. Finally, she resorted to a plain-language distress call to any
ship or shore station. By noon on the 13th, it was apparent that WARRINGTON'S crewmen could not win the struggle to save their ship, and the order went out to prepare to abandon ship. By 1250, her crew had left WARRINGTON and she went down almost immediately, stern first.

Out of the ship's complement of 20 officers and 301 men, only 5 officers and 68 men were rescued. Two Coast Guard cutters, a minesweeper, and the Lightship Vineyard Sound were also sunk by the storm.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Hurricane Irene projected threat level as of 11 am, August 25, from The Weather Channel
- Tracks of hurricanes making direct landfall on Long Island or New England, 1851 to present, from Blue Hill Observatory
- Full track of Great Hurricane of 1944, from North Carolina State University
- Mid Atlantic and New England track of 1944 hurricane, from North Carolina State University
- Total precipitation, September 12-15, 1944, by Paul Kocin, via NWS/HPC
- Building damage on Seaside Ave., Atlantic City, from Monthly Weather Review
- Paving damage on Seaside Ave., Atlantic City, from Monthly Weather Review

Irene Threat to New York, Northeast: Prof. Mandia Interview on CNBC

2011-08-24T21:21:00.003-04:00

Prof. Scott Mandia tries to convey the specific risk of Hurricane Irene and the general threat of tropical storms to New York City and the Northeast while Brian Sullivan, formerly of Faux, interrupts on CNBC this evening:

Texas Toasted: Austin Ties Breaks Annual 100° Day Record

2011-08-23T16:23:00.005-04:00

August 24, 2 pm CDT Update: With a temperature of 100° at 2 pm, Austin broke the record for annual days with 100° or higher temperatures. The current count is 70. Record high temperatures are now forecast through the weekend:

Original post:
At 2 pm CDT today, the Austin temperature reached 100°, marking the 69th day this year with 100° or higher temperatures. This ties the record set in 1925. The current temperature is 101°.

Del Rio and San Antonio have not yet reached the century mark today. Through yesterday, they have had 72 and 43 100° days, respectively. The Del Rio total is tied for second highest, and the San Antonio total is the second highest.

For previous history, see:
Austin ~~Ties Breaks~~ Extends Record for Consecutive 100° Days
Update: Waco ~~Ties Breaks~~ Extends Record

Texas Toasted: Houston Ties Breaks Annual 100° Day Record, Exceeds Consecutive Day Record By Over a Week

2011-08-22T15:47:00.010-04:00

6 PM CDT Update: Today's high at Houston was 101°. And don't forget Austin, where tomorrow is Tie Day.

4 PM CDT Update: The temperature at Houston Intercontinental is 100° at 4 pm, breaking the record with 33 days so far this year and extending the consecutive day and monthly records to 22.

Original post:
With a temperature of 99° at 3 pm, local time, downtown Houston (Intercontinental Airport) is 1° away from breaking its record for the number of days in a year with temperatures of 100° or higher. The high temperature of 103° yesterday tied the record of 32 days originally set in 1980. It was the 21st consecutive day with 100° temperatures. The previous record was 14 days ending July 19, 1980. The previous record for total number of days in a calendar month was 18, also in July, 1980.

Houston Hobby, with 12 days so far this year, is one behind its record in 1998 and 2000. Downtown Houston climate records began in 1892, and Hobby records began in 1930.

The Houston average temperature so far this month of 90.6° is an amazing 2.9° above the previous August record of 87.7 set last year. The previous hottest Augusts were:

87.7 2010
87.5 1962
87.1 1951
86.8 1999
86.8 1902
86.6 1980
86.5 1993
86.2 2009
86.2 1987
86.2 1964

Image (click to enlarge): Current (through Aug. 21) and record number of yearly 100° days in southeastern Texas, including Houston, from National Weather Service

New York Precipitation Update: Second Rainiest August on Record

2011-08-21T23:45:00.007-04:00

Aug. 27, 5 PM Update: The New York August rainfall record has already been broken with the approach of Hurricane Irene.

Aug. 25, 2 PM Update: An additional 0.47" so far today brings the monthly rainfall total to 12.06", within 1/3 of an inch of the August record.

Aug. 22, 10 AM Update: The preliminary monthly total rainfall of 11.59" at Central Park is confirmed.

Sunday's daily amount of 2.06" at Kennedy Airport is also a new record for Aug. 21, breaking the old record of 1.61" set in 1997. This brings the monthly total there to 11.94". That is well above the previous August record of 8.30" in 1976, although continuous JFK records date back only to 1964.

Original post:
After reaching the 8th highest August total by the middle of the month, an unofficial total of 0.67" of precipitation this evening has raised the Central Park, New York monthly total rainfall to 11.59", the second highest on record for August. According to the National Weather Service, the previous 10 wettest Augusts in records dating back to 1869 were:

12.36   1990    

10.86   1955   

 9.83   1927   

 9.56   1873    

 9.37   1971    

 9.28   1911    

 9.08   1942    

 8.97   1875    

 8.85   1933    

 8.72   1893

Mid-August Update: Oklahoma on Track for Hottest Summer on Record

2011-08-17T14:07:00.006-04:00

Images (click to enlarge): Oklahoma August and summer average temperature history for 1895-2010, from Oklahoma Mesonet; U.S. average temperatures and departures from climatology, Aug. 1-15, from Climate Prediction Center/NWS

With 2 weeks left to go in meteorological summer, the Oklahoma Mesonet reports that the state is on track to record its hottest summer in climate history, dating back to 1895:

We're 5/6ths of the way through the climatological summer (June-August) and the 

handwriting is on the proverbial wall ... this will probably end up as the warmest

summer on record in Oklahoma, dating back to 1895. Through August 16, the 

statewide average temperature for August was 87.7 degrees. The warmest August

on record was the 87.2 degrees that occurred in 1936.



So that puts us 0.5 degrees ahead of 1936's August as the warmest on record. That

comes after our second warmest June and warmest July on record, so the race for

the warmest summer is obvious. For June 1- August 16, the statewide average 

temperature as measured by the Mesonet was 86.7 degree. That puts us well ahead of 

the warmest summer on record set by 1934's 85.2 degrees. 



The average high temperature across the state during August has been 101.6 

degrees, ranging from 104.9 degrees in the southwest to 97.9 degrees in the 

Panhandle. For the summer, the average high across the state was 100.3 degrees, 

ranging from 103.7 degrees in the southwest to 98.3 degrees in east central 

Oklahoma.

New Zealand Snow: Once in 50 Year Event

2011-08-16T14:09:00.010-04:00

August 17 Update: From WeatherWatch:

In Christchurch some snow is falling off and on across the city with heavier falls well inland. Weather analyst Richard Green says there have been a few power outages too across Canterbury as a result of the snow.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the temperature right now in Christchurch is 2 degrees with a wind chill of minus 4.

But, despite the snow flakes, conditions are generally improving.

The intensity of the showers has significantly eased across more than 80% of New Zealand and while sleet and rain/snow showers are continuing to affect some coastal parts of Canterbury the centre of the storm is moving away.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the centre of the low is now 2500kms south east of Christchurch and moving eastwards away from New Zealand. He says a secondary low will form just east of the Chatham Islands tomorrow causing conditions to linger a little longer. "The main event has well and truly passed now but we're still being affected by the tail end, so more heavy snow down to a few hundred metres from Canterbury to Hawkes Bay and wintry, sleety, conditions to sea level".

He says the secondary low won't add too much more to the weather here but will just keep "today's weather in place until Thursday".

In Wellington the snow level has lifted but a gale force southerly continues to blast through. It's currently 7 degrees with a feels like temperature of zero in the wind.

In Auckland a thin veil of high cloud and a fairly light southerly are the only signs that a winter storm was nearby.

Similar weather is expected tomorrow across New Zealand with significant improvements spreading into more regions by Friday.

By the weekend the large high partially responsible for the winter blast will move in and settle across New Zealand for the first half of next week.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says by the end of next week temperatures will be back to average or even above average if a warm northerly air stream from the sub-tropics eventuates. This is currently being predicted by some long range models - we'll keep you posted!

Original post:
A very strong outbreak of Antarctic air, which began moving into New Zealand on Sunday, has produced unusually widespread snowfall which the official New Zealand MetService has called a once-in-50-year event. The influx of a deep layer of cold air flowing almost directly from the Antarctic continent over much warmer sea water allowed the development of heavy "ocean effect" snow showers.

The weather map to the right shows a very strong 1034 mb high pressure area pumping cold air counter-clockwise from Antarctica to New Zealand. (New Zealand is located in the lower left of the map, with the high centered to the south. Antarctica is near the center of the lower part of the map.) The red line on the lower map shows the trajectory of air arriving at Auckland on August 15.

The 3 to 5 cm. of snow which fell above an elevation of 100 meters for at least an hour late Sunday afternoon was characterized as the "heaviest and most widespread snowfall in Wellington City for at least 30 50 years." Wellington is located on the southern end of North Island.

Although temperatures have been cold for this event, they have not been widely extreme. The 8.1°C high at Auckland Airport on Monday was an all-time record low maximum, but official climate data began there only in 1966. The 4.6°C at Christchurch Airport, by contrast, was exceeded in July 2007. At Waiouru, elevation about 2700 feet, the Monday low of -7.7°C was a new monthly record for August.

According to WeatherWatch,

[H]eavy snow is likely to set in again across Wellington tonight as the snow returns to the city this afternoon.

The late afternoon surge, which WeatherWatch.co.nz predicted this morning, has seen the temperature plunge to 1 degree with a wind chill of -5.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the snow will spread across the lower North Island again but may not affect quite so many main centres to the north west of the city. "Snow is expected to be heavy around Wellington, Upper Hutt and Wairarapa tonight with a moderate risk of snow flakes returning to low levels of the lower North Island like Wanganui and Taranaki".

Mr Duncan says the heavy snow in Wellington is likely to come and go all night with snow easing tomorrow morning. Snow will move into Hawkes Bay and Gisborne region too, to 100 or 200 metres.

Meanwhile Christchurch and other coastal parts of Canterbury could see more snow tonight. Weather analyst Richard Green says snow showers may return to the city tonight, but should ease in the early hours of Wednesday. Snow isn't expected to be as heavy as it was yesterday with passing snow flurries. However he says the city is definitely 50/50 for snow. "The freezing level has lifted just enough so that Christchurch, Timaru and Ashburton are all on the borderline of snow. It's an extremely fine line between sleet, rain and snow for those centres tonight but we don't expect the falls to be long lasting and heavy as they were last night".

Snow has already started to melt and turn to slush with rain showers and sleet today in the garden city.

In Dunedin a few brief snow flurries are possible but conditions there should be easing further as we head into Wednesday.

And Auckland's chance of seeing snow is quickly fading. A large shower this afternoon saw graupel and sleet in some areas while snow was confirmed on the tops of the Waitakere Ranges this morning in to around 300m from a passing snow shower.

See the New Zealand Herald for a video gallery of the snow in Christchurch.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Snow in Clifford Road, Johnsonville (altitude approximately 200 metres) early evening, Sunday 14 August 2011; from New Zealand MetService
- New Zealand snowfall extent from Sunday, August 14 through 2 pm Tuesday, August 16; from New Zealand MetService
- Southern Pacific Ocean sea-level pressure analysis at 10 am, August 15; from Australian Bureau of Meteorology
- Backward-projected trajectory of air parcel at 500 meters above sea level arriving at Auckland, New Zealand, midday Monday, August 15; from NOAA Air Resources Laboratory via New Zealand MetService

It's So Hot . . .

2011-08-15T18:21:00.002-04:00

It's so hot, the Dallas weather radio transmitter is fried:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX  

435 PM CDT MON AUG 15 2011  

   

..DALLAS NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO IS TRANSMITTING ON LOW POWER  

  

THE DALLAS NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO TRANSMITTER...WHICH BROADCASTS ON   

A FREQUENCY OF 162.400 MHZ...CALL SIGN KEC 56...REMAINS UNRELIABLE   

DUE TO A TRANSMITTER COOLING PROBLEM THROUGH TUESDAY...AUGUST 16TH.   

THE TRANSMITTER IS BROADCASTING ON LOW POWER...BUT AT TIMES THE   

TRANSMITTER MAY QUIT BROADCASTING ALL TOGETHER. WE APOLOGIZE FOR   

THIS INCONVENIENCE.

July Global Land Temperatures 5th Warmest on Record

2011-08-15T13:39:00.004-04:00

The preliminary July 2011 global climate report, posted within the past hour by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), shows that worldwide temperatures were the 7th warmest on record for the month of July. Some highlights from NCDC:

The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for July 2011 was the seventh warmest on record, at 16.37°C (61.43°F), which is 0.57°C (1.03°F) above the 20th century average of 15.8°C (60.4°F).

The July worldwide land surface temperature was 0.84°C (1.51°F) above the 20th century average of 14.3°C (57.8°F)—the fifth warmest July on record.

The worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.47°C (0.85°F) above the 20th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F)—the 11th warmest July on record.

For the year-to-date, the global combined land and ocean surface temperature of 14.31°C (57.82°F) was the 11th warmest January–July period on record. This value is 0.51°C (0.92°F) above the 20th century average.

Large portions of each inhabited continent, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, were substantially warmer than average during July 2011. The continental areas with the most anomalous warmth included Northern Europe, western and eastern Russia, and most of North America. Cooler-than-average conditions were present across central Russia, Western Europe, the northwestern United States, and southwestern Canada. . .

The worldwide ocean surface temperature represented the 11th warmest July on record. The warmth was most pronounced across Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea in the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes and in the north central and northwestern Pacific Ocean. Cooler-than-average SSTs were present across much of the Eastern Pacific and the high latitude southern oceans. Neither El Niño nor La Niña conditions were present during July 2011. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC), ENSO-neutral conditions are expected to continue into the Northern Hemisphere fall 2011, with an equally likely chance of ENSO-neutral or La Niña conditions thereafter.

Image (click to enlarge): July 2011 global temperature departures from average, from NCDC/NOAA

Record Rainfall Soaks New York, Philadelphia Areas

2011-08-14T19:45:00.009-04:00

Images (click to enlarge): 24-hour precipitation for New York City region ending at 8 am EDT August 14 and 15, 2011, from National Weather Service

Note: Posting and updating delayed by Comcast's ~~second~~ third multi-hour outage in 6 9 days.

August 20 Update: Central Park monthly rainfall updated to 2nd wettest August.

August 15, 5:30 PM Update: Moderate to heavy showers have added almost half an inch to the Central Park total so far this hour, pushing the monthly total to the 4th wettest August.

August 15, 1 PM Update: The Central Park total is the 5th highest in records which date back to 1869. Previous daily records at Central Park:

 8.28"  September 23rd, 1882

 7.57"  April 15th, 2007   

 7.40"  November 8th, 1977  

 7.33"  October 9th, 1903   

 5.60"  November 8th, 1972 

 5.54"  September 21st, 1966

 5.02"  September 16th, 1999

 4.98"  October 1st, 1913   

 4.86"  September 8th, 1934 

 4.80"  August 16th, 1909   

 4.64"  August 10th, 1990   

 4.35"  October 19th, 1996

The 9.03" so far this month is already the 8th highest for August, just behind the 9.08" in 1942, and the month is only half over. The August record is 12.36" in 1990.

August 15, 12 PM Update: Updated record daily rainfall totals:

Kennedy Airpt NY 7.80" (all-time daily record)

LaGuardia NY     6.60" (second highest all-time daily amount, vs. 6.69", 4-15-2007)

Islip NY         5.32"

Central Park NY  5.81"

Newark NJ        6.40" (second highest all-time daily amount, vs. 6.73", 11-3-1977)

Trenton NJ       4.67"

Philadelphia PA  4.84"

Bridgeport CT    2.75"

Original post:
Persistent heavy showers and thunderstorms have drenched the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area with record rainfall amounts today. Numerous daily records have been set, and JFK Airport, with a 62-year climate history, has set an all-time daily record with 7.60" as of 5 pm. The old record was 6.27" on June 30, 1984, and the August 14 record was only 0.96" in 2008.

Records were also set in the Philadelphia area. Reports from the National Weather Service:

A RECORD RAINFALL AMOUNT OF 2.21 INCHES HAS FALLEN AS OF 5 PM AT  

BRIDGEPORT CT. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 1.79 INCHES SET IN 1999.



A RECORD RAINFALL AMOUNT OF 3.88 INCHES HAS FALLEN AS OF 5 PM AT  

ISLIP NY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 1.04 INCHES SET IN 1994. 



A RECORD RAINFALL AMOUNT OF 4.40 INCHES HAS FALLEN AS OF 5 PM AT  

NEWARK NJ. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 1.11 INCHES SET IN 1999. 



4.39 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT TRENTON, NEW JERSEY SO FAR TODAY, AUGUST  

14, 2011. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 3.4 INCHES SET IN 1999. 



4.84 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SO FAR TODAY,  

AUGUST 14, 2011. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 1.77 INCHES SET IN  

1977.

Victoria Smashes August Heat Records

2011-08-12T00:44:00.004-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Southeast Australia average maximum temperature departure from normal (°C) for Aug. 1-4, 2011, from Australian BOM

A Special Climate Statement issued today by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reports that some all-time August heat records were set early this month in the state of Victoria:

A high pressure system centred over the NSW coast drifted into the Tasman Sea on the last weekend of July 2011. The high pressure system directed north westerly winds across Victoria. This northerly wind flow contributed to Victoria experiencing unprecedented warm weather for this time of year.

Many early season heat records were set for both warmest day and warmest night following mid winter (noting that late June/early July is typically the coldest time of year in southeast Australia). . .

In addition to early season records, a number of whole of August records were also broken. Perhaps the most significant was Melbourne2 which broke its overnight high temperature record for August on the night of the 4th when the minimum temperature was 17.3 °C. The previous warmest overnight temperature for Melbourne in August was 16.2 °C on the 20 August 1885. Similar record warmth was experienced in suburban Melbourne (Laverton and Essendon) and the Yarra Valley with an estimated 4% of Victoria experiencing the warmest August night in at least 100 years. Melbourne’s maximum temperature of 23.2 °C on the August 3rd was the warmest day in Melbourne for the first half of August and an "early season" record for Melbourne ahead of the
23.1°C set on July 30th 1975.

Perhaps the most remarkable observations during the warm spell occurred during the early hours of August 4th when many sites in coastal Victoria experienced exceptionally mild conditions. As an example, Wilson Promontory recorded a temperature of 23.5 °C at 4am, approximately 15 °C above average and easily breaking the old high temperature record of 22 °C set on 28 July 1975.

(h/t BraveNewClimate)

August Temperature Update: Heat Records Outnumbering Cold Records by Amazing 24 to 1

2011-08-10T12:48:00.006-04:00

August 11 Update: There were 42 all-time record high temperature records set in the first week of August. That is over 5 times the number of all-time low temperature records set in all 3 months of last winter.

Original post:
This summer's sound of crashing temperature records has resoundingly echoed through the first week of August. For August 1-9, the number of new daily high temperature records set in the U.S. has overwhelmed the number of low temperature records by an astounding ratio of 23.9 to 1. The excess of heat records over cold records has been more than 1000. This has raised the ratio for the summer to date to almost 10 to 1 with just over 3 weeks remaining in the season.

Although the most extreme heat has been focused on Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, nearly all of the country has been averaging above average temperatures except for the Pacific Coast, Nevada, and Utah.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly ratios of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for July 2010 through Aug. 9, 2011. Data from NOAA National Climatic Data Center, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
- Preliminary U.S. average temperature and departure from normal for Aug. 1-8, 2011 from Climate Prediction Center/NWS/NOAA.

Oklahoma: Hottest Month, Any State, Ever Recorded

2011-08-08T21:33:00.003-04:00

The National Climatic Data Center's preliminary July report issued today shows that the Oklahoma July average temperature of 88.9 degrees F (31.6 degrees C) was the highest for any state in history. The Texas July average of 87.1 degrees F (30.6 degrees C) was also the hottest ever for that state. The previous hottest month was July 1954 in Oklahoma at 88.1 degrees F (31.2 degrees C).

Delaware also had its hottest July in history. Top-ten hottest Julys were observed over a wide area from New Mexico and Colorado eastward through the Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, Southeast, Mid Atlantic, and southern New England.

The only states with below-average temperatures were Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada. It was the 11th coldest July in Washington state.

Nationwide, it was the 4th hottest July in history:

The average U.S. temperature in July was 77.0 degrees F (25.0 degrees C), which is 2.7 degrees F (1.5 degrees C) above the long-term (1901-2000) average, resulting [in] the fourth warmest July and the fourth warmest month on record.

Austin Ties Breaks Extends Record for Consecutive 100° Days Update: Waco Ties Breaks Extends Record

2011-08-06T16:30:00.028-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Total number of days with temperatures of 100° or higher to date at Austin, Texas, CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data

For the latest record annual total update, see:
Texas Toasted: Austin ~~Ties~~ Breaks Annual 100° Day Record

Aug. 22, 7 PM CDT Update: The Austin high today was a daily record-tying 105°, last seen in 1925.

Waco has now extended its record annual total by a week, with 70 days through today.

Aug. 22, 3 PM CDT Update: The Austin temperature has reached 102°, tying 2009 with 68 total days so far this year. This is just one short of the record.

Aug. 15, 4 PM CDT Update: With 102° yesterday and at least 105° today, Waco has tied its annual record of 63 days with temperatures of 100° or higher. The 105° also ties the record for the date.

Aug. 15, 2 PM CDT Update: [Posting and updating delayed by Comcast's second multi-hour outage in 6 days.] After hitting 105° again yesterday, Austin is back to 100° this afternoon, bringing the annual total to 61.

Aug. 13, 6 PM CDT Update: The high today of 97° at Austin ends the streak at 27 days, breaking the old record by 6 days.

Aug. 12, 4 PM CDT Update: The current 102° at Austin extends the record streak of 100° temperatures to 27 days and the annual total to 59.

Dallas has tied its 4th highest annual total with 48 days, and Waco has tied its 2nd highest total with 61. The record streak at Waco is extended to 44 days.

Aug. 11, 8 PM CDT Update: Dallas ended its streak at 40 days with a high of 97°. The high at Waco was 104°.

Aug. 11, 4 PM CDT Update: Waco has broken its record streak with at least 102° and a 43rd consecutive day, but clouds have knocked Dallas back into the 80s, probably ending the streak there.

Aug. 11, 3 PM CDT Update: Austin is 101° at 3 pm. The record streak is 26 days and the annual total to date is 58 [chart updated].

Aug. 10, 3 PM CDT Update: Austin's temperature of 102° at 3 pm extends the record streak to 25 consecutive days and the yearly count to 57.

Waco has now tied its record with 42 consecutive days, equal to the streak of June 23 to Aug. 3, 1980. The 40th consecutive day at Dallas is still 2 short of the record.

Aug. 9, 3 PM CDT Update: The Austin temperature reached 100° by 2 pm for the 24th consecutive day and the 56th day so far this year.

Aug. 8, 4:30 PM CDT Update: The National Weather Service reports:

AUSTIN MABRY HAS HAD 23 CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAYS FROM JULY 17TH

THROUGH AUGUST 8TH.  THIS BROKE THE RECORD FROM 1898 TO 2010 OF 21

DAYS FROM JULY 12 TO AUGUST 1...2001.  AUSTIN BERGSTROM HAS HAD 10

CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAYS FROM JULY 30TH TO AUGUST 8TH...2011.

DEL RIO HAD 11 CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAYS FROM JULY 12TH TO

JULY 22ND...2011.  SAN ANTONIO HAS HAD 8 CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE

DAYS FROM AUGUST 1ST TO AUGUST 8TH...2011.



THE TABLE BELOW SHOWS THE NUMBER OF 100 DEGREE DAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR

AT AUSTIN...DEL RIO...HONDO...NEW BRAUNFELS...AND SAN ANTONIO THROUGH

AUGUST 8TH.



LOCATION                100 DEGREE DAYS

                          AS OF AUG 8



DEL RIO                        61

NEW BRAUNFELS                  40

AUSTIN MABRY                   55

AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AP       42

SAN ANTONIO INTL AP            31

SAN ANTONIO STINSON            57

HONDO                          49

Aug. 8, 1 PM CDT Update: With a current Austin temperature of 100°, this is now the record-breaking 23rd consecutive day of 100° readings and the 55th so far this year.

Aug. 7, 3 PM CDT Update: The Austin temperature of 102° at the current hour breaks the record for consecutive days with 100° temperatures. This is the 22nd consecutive day and the 54th so far this year [chart updated].

From the Austin Statesman police blotter:
Nude sunbather goes to hospital for second-degree burns

Aug. 7, 1 PM CDT Update: Right on schedule, Austin's temperature is up 4° in the last hour to 98°, so the record for consecutive days with 100° is likely to fall in the next hour or 2.

5 PM CDT Update: The high so far today was 104°, just 1° below the record originally set in 1923 and tied in 2009.

Original post:
With a report of 100° as of 3 pm CDT, this is now the 21st consecutive day with temperatures of 100° or higher at Austin, Texas. That ties the record set from July 12 to August 1, 2001. It is also the 53rd 100°+ day so far this year, well ahead of the near-record pace in 2009. At this point in 2009, the total was 47. The record annual total is 69 in 1925.

Highs of at least 103° are forecast for the next 7 days as well, which would bring the total to 60.

Big Wind Ducks the Issue

2011-08-05T00:48:00.002-04:00

Aasif Mandvi is on the case of wind turbines vs. ducks (Daily Show, Aug. 2) :

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Fowl Wind

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Dallas Hits All-Time High Minimum Temperature 2nd 3rd Time This Year; New Record at Waco

2011-08-04T13:04:00.006-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Record high temperatures in north-central Texas forecast for August 4, 2011, from National Weather Service

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

Aug. 4, Midnight CDT Update: With the Dallas temperature still 92° at midnight daylight time, this morning's low of 86° is virtually guaranteed to tie the new high minimum record for the second day in a row.

Original post:
Breaking an all-time high minimum temperature record by 3° is remarkable enough, but after setting the record with a low of 86° on July 26, Dallas tied that record again yesterday. Waco also broke its all-time record. With a temperature of 101° as of noon CDT, this is now the 34th consecutive 100° day at Dallas. It will be the 36th consecutive day at Waco.

From the National Weather Service:

ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3RD...DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT   
RECORDED A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 109 DEGREES AND A LOW TEMPERATURE OF   
86 DEGREES.   
  
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 109 BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 107 SET IN   
1998.  
  
THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 86 TIES THE ALL-TIME WARMEST MINIMUM   
TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED AT DALLAS/FORT WORTH WHICH ALSO OCCURRED   
JULY 26TH OF THIS YEAR. THE PREVIOUS DAILY RECORD WARMEST MINIMUM   
WAS 83 WAS SET IN 1910 AND 1980.   

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE YESTERDAY...AUGUST 3RD AT WACO REGIONAL AIRPORT   
WAS 108 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH OF 107 DEGREES   
SET IN 1998.  
  
THE LOW TEMPERATURE YESTERDAY...AUGUST 3RD AT WACO REGIONAL AIRPORT   
WAS 83 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD WARMEST MINIMUM FOR   
THE DATE OF 82 DEGREES SET IN 1910...1914...1930...AND 1932.

All-Time Hottest Temperatures in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma; Update: New Ft. Smith, Little Rock All-Time Highs

2011-08-03T14:00:00.010-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Temperature and humidity at Ft. Smith, Arkansas for 5 days ending Aug. 3, 2011, showing all-time record hottest temperature of ~~114°~~ 115°.

Midnight CDT Update: Long-term daily records for August 3 blown away by as much as 5° in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, from National Weather Service:

LOCATION       OLD RECORD      NEW RECORD         YEARS OF DATA  
------------------------------------------------------------------  
SHREVEPORT LA  104 IN 2008     109 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1874  
MONROE LA      105 IN 2010     107 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1930  
TEXARKANA AR   108 IN 1896     111 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1896  
EL DORADO AR   104 IN 2008     108 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1907  
TYLER TX       107 IN 1998     110 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1896  
LONGVIEW TX    105 IN 1937     110 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1902  
LUFKIN TX      105 IN 1998     106 IN 2011      RECORDS SINCE 1906   
------------------------------------------------------------------

6 PM CDT Update: Fayetteville has also tied its all-time record, blasting away the daily record by 8°:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 110 DEGREES WAS SET AT FAYETTEVILLE   
ARKANSAS TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 102 SET IN 1964. THIS   
READING ALSO TIES THE ALL TIME HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD PREVIOUSLY   
SET IN JULY 1954.

5 PM CDT Update: After holding at 114° for 2 hours, Ft. Smith has risen another degree to a new all-time high temperature record of 115°. [Image updated]

3 PM CDT Update: The high temperature of 113° at Ft. Smith yesterday tied the all-time record set on Aug. 10, 1936, according to NCDC. This would indicate that the earlier NWS report of a tie on Aug. 1 was incorrect. In any case, that record has just been broken with a current reading of 114°F (45.6°C). Ft. Smith climate records began in 1882.

Little Rock also broke its all-time record:

..ALL-TIME HOTTEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN LITTLE ROCK  
  
AT 240 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT ADAMS FIELD IN LITTLE ROCK   
REACHED 114 DEGREES...SETTING A NEW RECORD FOR THE ALL-TIME HOTTEST   
TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN THE CITY. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 112   
DEGREES ON JULY 31ST 1986.  
  
THE READING OF 114 EASILY BROKE THE RECORD FOR AUGUST 3RD. THE   
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 107 IN 2010.

Little Rock climate records began in 1877.

Original post:
The National Climatic Data Center reports that in the first 2 days of August alone, 4 all-time record high temperatures have been set:

Location    Temperature  Old Record  Date
Harrison AR   109°       107°    1986-07-29
Topkea KS     112°       110°    1984-08-29
Emporia KS    109°       108°    1984-08-30
Tyler TX      110°       109°    2011-08-01

The record at Topeka crushed the previous daily record for Aug. 2, set just last year, by 6°. Topeka climate records began in 1887.

In addition, all-time high temperature records have also been tied at Tyler, Ft. Hood, and Longview in Texas, Ft. Smith in Arkansas, and Tulsa in Oklahoma.

From the National Weather Service:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 111 DEGREES WAS SET AT FORT SMITH,   
ARKANSAS YESTERDAY, AUGUST 1. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 106   
DEGREES SET IN 1896.  
  
THIS ALSO TIES THE ALL TIME RECORD HIGH OF 111 DEGREES AT FORT SMITH   
SET IN 1954.

Tulsa also set a record for all-time highest minimum temperature in August and tied the all-time record for any month. From the National Weather Service:

THE LOW TEMPERATURE THIS MORNING AT THE TULSA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT   
WAS 87 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 84 DEGREES SET IN   
1980. THIS READING ALSO BREAKS THE ALL TIME HIGHEST MINIMUM   
TEMPERATURE FOR AUGUST OF 86 DEGREES WHICH OCCURRED AUGUST 1, 2011   
AND AUGUST 16 OF 1909. IN ADDITION...THIS READING WILL TIE THE ALL   
TIME HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE IN TULSA OF 87 DEGREES...WHICH   
OCCURRED JULY 16, 1980.

Oklahoma's Hottest Month on Record, 4th Driest July

2011-08-02T18:33:00.005-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Total number of days with temperatures of 100° or higher through July 31, 2011, from Oklahoma Mesonet; U.S. Drought Monitor for Oklahoma, July 29, 2011

The Oklahoma Mesonet reports that July was the hottest month on record for the state of Oklahoma. The statewide average of 89.1° broke the old record by 1°. Breaking a monthly record at a single location by as much as 1° is remarkable, and doing so for the average of an entire state is even more impressive.

Fueled by exceptional drought and a seemingly impenetrable heat-dome, July roared through Oklahoma’s legendary heat waves of the past to become the state’s hottest calendar month on record. According to data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, the July statewide average temperature finished 7.5 degrees above normal at 89.1 degrees, smashing the previous record of 88.1 degrees set back in July 1954. Statewide averages date back to 1895. The news was equally grim on the rainfall side of the ledger. The statewide average rainfall total was 0.70 inches, more than 2 inches below normal and the fourth driest July on record. Combined, the 2011 June-July period was the hottest and driest on record statewide, an ominous achievement with another month of summer yet to go. Through seven months, 2011 ranked as the eighth warmest and second driest on record.

Oklahoma City’s average temperature of 89.2 degrees topped the previous record of 88.7 degrees from August 1936 to become its warmest month since those records began in 1890. Oklahoma City experienced 27 days in July with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees, once again the most for any month in its history. Oklahoma City’s average high temperature of 102.5 degrees beat July 1980’s previous mark of 102.4 degrees to set another milestone. Similar records were matched at many locations throughout drought-ravaged western Oklahoma. Grandfield was the warmest spot in the state with an average July temperature of 93 degrees and an average high of 107 degrees. Grandfield continued to lead the state with 68 days at or above 100 degrees in 2011. The record stands at 86 days, set by Hollis in 1956. That site and three others have seen triple-digit highs for 40 consecutive days through July 31. Kenton’s July average of 81.6 degrees marked it as the coolest spot in the state. The highest temperature of the month, 114 degrees, was recorded at Alva and Freedom on July 9.

Of the 120 Oklahoma Mesonet stations, 93 recorded less than an inch of rainfall for the month. Walters and Burneyville recorded no precipitation for the entire month. Newkirk and Kenton led the way with 5.58 inches and 3.66 inches, respectively. Only five stations recorded more than 2 inches of rainfall. Southwestern Oklahoma received less than a quarter-inch of rainfall, on average. An average of 16.41 inches of precipitation has fallen across the state since October 1, 2010, nearly 14 inches below normal and the driest such period on record. Boise City received a scant 3.8 inches of rainfall over that time while Grandfield measured 5.6 inches. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map released on July 28 indicates more than half of Oklahoma is experiencing exceptional drought, the worst designation possible.

Record Hottest July at Raleigh, 2nd Hottest Month All-Time

2011-08-02T17:50:00.004-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Temperature and departure from average for 30 days ending Aug. 1, 2011 at Raleigh NC, from Climate Prediction Center/NWS

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

The Southeast Regional Climate Center(SERCC) reports:

Raleigh Durham(RDU) had the Warmest July On Record with 83.7°(Previous Record was 82.5 in 1993) and 2nd Warmest Month on Record(84.1 in 2007 is the Record). (Records go back to 1887)

Raleigh had 24 days in July with temperatures of 90° or higher and 9 days with 100° or higher, including a record 5 consecutive days. Record high temperatures were tied or broken on 7 days.

Summer Temperature Update: Heat Records Increase Lead Over Cold Records to 8.4 to 1

2011-08-02T16:40:00.009-04:00

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

7 PM Update: Added chart of ratios from previous decades for comparison.

Original post:
As previously reported, U.S. daily high temperature records were dominating cold records in July by a ratio of over 5 to 1, based on preliminary data from the National Climatic Data Center. A surge of heat records in the final week of the month has pushed the total ratio to 6.1 to 1. For the summer as a whole (June and July combined), the ratio has increased to 8.4 to 1. This also increases the year-to-date ratio to 2.7 to 1.

Out of the 1601 daily high temperature records broken in July, 49 were all-time records for any day of any month. Combined with the updated count of 20 all-time records in June, this gives a total of 69 so far this summer. In comparison, only 8 all-time cold records were set in all 3 months of last winter combined.

Preliminary data from ESRL/NOAA shows that nearly all of the U.S. east of the Rockies was above average (1981-2010 baseline) with the most extreme temperature values from northern Texas through Oklahoma and Kansas.

Images (click to enlarge):
- Monthly ratios of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for July 2010 through July 2011. Data from NOAA National Climatic Data Center, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.
- Decadal average ratios of heat records to cold records, from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
- Preliminary July 2011 U.S. temperature departure from 1981-2010 average from ESRL.

All-Time Hottest Month at Lubbock and Childress, Texas

2011-08-01T18:03:00.002-04:00

After setting a record for all-time hottest month in June, Lubbock, Texas has duplicated that feat by setting a new record in July. This means that 2 of the hottest months in history have now occurred this year. It was also an all-time record hottest month in Childress.

The 34 days with 100°+ temperatures at Lubbock so far this year now exceed the previous record year of 1934 by 5. The 66 days at Childress are in 3rd place, just 5 behind the 1934 record.

The 18 days with lows of 75°+ at Lubbock have now nearly doubled the previous record of 10 in 1978 and 1966. The 36 days at Childress are in 2nd place.

From the National Weather Service:

THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2011 AT LUBBOCK   
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 86.0 DEGREES. THIS NOT ONLY MAKES JULY   
2011 THE HOTTEST JULY ON RECORD...BUT ALSO MAKES JULY 2011 THE   
HOTTEST MONTH EVER ON RECORD FOR LUBBOCK. TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR   
LUBBOCK BEGAN IN 1911.    
  
THE PREVIOUS HOTTEST JULY ON RECORD WAS 85.4 DEGREES IN 1966...AND   
THE PREVIOUS HOTTEST MONTH EVER ON RECORD WAS 85.9 DEGREES WHICH   
OCCURRED JUST LAST MONTH JUNE 2011.   

THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2011 AT CHILDRESS MUNICIPAL   
AIRPORT WAS 90.2 DEGREES. THIS NOT ONLY MAKES JULY 2011 THE HOTTEST   
JULY ON RECORD...BUT ALSO MAKES JULY 2011 THE HOTTEST MONTH EVER ON   
RECORD FOR CHILDRESS.     
  
THE PREVIOUS HOTTEST MONTH ON RECORD WAS 89.0 DEGREES IN JULY 1934.

Childress records began in 1893.

All-Time Hottest Month at Amarillo and Dalhart, Texas

2011-08-01T17:36:00.005-04:00

Images (click to enlarge): Consecutive days with 90°+ temperatures and total number of days with 100°+ temperatures at Amarillo, from National Weather Service

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

July 2011 was the all-time hottest month on record at both Amarillo and Dalhart, Texas in climate records which extend back over a century to 1892 and 1894, respectively. The 40 consecutive days of 90°+ temperatures at Amarillo through July 31 was the 4th longest streak in history. This has now been extended today to tie for 3rd. The 32 days of 100°+ have already well exceeded the previous annual record.

The National Weather Service reports:

...JULY 2011 RANKS AS THE WARMEST JULY AND THE ALL TIME WARMEST  
MONTH ON RECORD AT AMARILLO...  
  
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2011 AT AMARILLO WAS 85.2  
DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS WARMEST JULY AND THE WARMEST MONTH ON RECORD  
WAS 84.1 DEGREES...SET IN JULY 1934.   

...JULY 2011 RANKS AS THE WARMEST JULY AND THE ALL TIME WARMEST  
MONTH ON RECORD AT DALHART...  
  
THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2011 AT DALHART WAS 83.2  
DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS WARMEST JULY AND THE WARMEST MONTH ON RECORD  
WAS 82.2 DEGREES...SET IN JULY 1980.

Houston's Hottest Summer to Date

2011-08-01T17:10:00.005-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Temperature and departure from average for 90 days ending July 30, 2011 at Houston, from Climate Prediction Center/NWS

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

July was the third hottest on record at Houston (87.1°). Combined with the hottest June on record (86.2°), the summer to date is now the hottest on record. It was also the hottest June-July at Galveston, where July was the second hottest on record.

Here is the report issued this morning by the National Weather Service:

JULY TEMPERATURES WERE WELL ABOVE THE 30 YEAR CLIMATE NORMALS   
AVERAGING 3 TO 4 DEGREES WARMER THAN THE 30 YEAR NORMALS. JULY  
2011 WAS THE THIRD WARMEST ON RECORD FOR HOUSTON AND HOUSTON  
HOBBY AIRPORT. IT WAS THE SECOND WARMEST ON RECORD FOR GALVESTON  
AND TIED FOR THE SECOND WARMEST JULY ON RECORD FOR COLLEGE  
STATION. HERE ARE THE FIVE WARMEST JULY'S ON RECORD FOR EACH  
LOCATION:  
  
        CITY OF      COLLEGE      GALVESTON      HOUSTON  
        HOUSTON      STATION                     HOBBY  
  
        87.5 1980    89.1 2009    87.4 1875      86.7 2009      
        87.4 2009    88.6 2011    87.1 2011      86.6 1998  
        87.1 2011    88.6 1998    86.6 1996      86.5 2011  
        86.6 1998    87.9 1996    86.3 1876      86.1 1980  
        86.6 1957    87.7 1925    86.2 2009      85.4 1957  
  
SINCE MAY 25TH...THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS RECORDED 58 DAYS (OUT OF   
68) WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 95 DEGREES OR WARMER. HOUSTON HAS ALSO   
ENDURED 31 DAYS WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 98 DEGREES OR WARMER AND 11  
DAYS WITH A TEMPERATURE AT OR EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES. THE FATES  
WERE NO KINDER TO COLLEGE STATION AS THE CITY RECORDED 63 DAYS  
WITH THE TEMPERATURE AT OR EXCEEDING 95 DEGREES...49 DAYS AT OR  
ABOVE 98 DEGREES AND 28 DAYS AT OR ABOVE 100 DEGREES.  
  
CLIMATOLOGICALLY SPEAKING...SUMMER IS ABOUT TWO THIRDS COMPLETE AND   
THE SUMMER OF 2011 IS CURRENTLY THE WARMEST ON RECORD FOR THE CITY   
OF HOUSTON AND GALVESTON AND THE SECOND WARMEST ON RECORD FOR   
COLLEGE STATION. BELOW ARE THE BLISTERING DETAILS:  
  
              CITY OF HOUSTON - JUNE THROUGH JULY  
  
              AVERAGE       AVERAGE       AVERAGE  
              HIGH          LOW           MONTHLY  
  
              97.9 1980     76.7 1963     86.7 2011       
              97.2 2011     76.6 1958     86.5 2009  
              96.9 2009     76.4 1953     86.3 1980  
              96.7 1998     76.4 1965     86.0 1998  
              95.5 1890     76.3 1964     84.7 1994  
  
              GALVESTON  -  JUNE THROUGH JULY  
  
              AVERAGE       AVERAGE       AVERAGE  
              HIGH          LOW           MONTHLY  
  
              93.5 1875     81.3 2011     86.6 2011       
              92.0 2011     80.9 1994     86.2 1875  
              91.3 1876     80.2 2005     85.4 2005  
              90.7 2009     80.0 1993     85.2 2009  
              90.6 2005     80.0 1953     85.0 1881  
  
              COLLEGE STATION - JUNE THROUGH JULY  
  
              AVERAGE       AVERAGE       AVERAGE  
              HIGH          LOW           MONTHLY  
  
              99.3 2009     76.2 2010     87.7 2009       
              99.3 1917     76.1 2009     87.5 2011  
              99.2 1934     76.0 2011     87.0 1925                  
              99.1 1925     74.9 1925     85.7 1996  
              99.0 2011     74.1 2008     85.4 2008

Texas 100°+ Heat Continues Record Rampage at Dallas, Waco

2011-08-01T14:20:00.008-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Forecast vs. record temperatures for Aug. 1-7 at Dallas and Waco, from National Weather Service

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

11 PM CDT Update: The highs of 107° at Dallas and Waco both set new daily records.

4 PM CDT Update: The 106° at 4 pm has at least tied the record for the date at Dallas. The record is also tied with the same reading at Waco.

Original post:
It's generally not considered good forecasting practice to predict record temperatures, but 100°+ temperatures continuing into the first week of August make it likely that at least 4 of the next 7 days will tie or break high temperature records at Dallas and Waco. The 31 consecutive days of 100° temperatures which began July 2 at Dallas are now the second longest streak in history, behind Jun 23 - Aug 3, 1980. The 33 days at Waco are also in second place. The total of 38 days so far this year are tied for 9th place at Dallas. The 50 days at Waco are tied for 7th, but are only 2 away from 5th place.

Here are the top 10 streaks and annual totals for Dallas:

Rank    # of Days   Dates
1       42          Jun 23 - Aug 3, 1980
2       31          July 2-Aug 1, 2011 
3       29          Jul 6 - Aug 3, 1998
4       25          Aug 2-26, 1952
5       24          Jul 28 - Aug 20, 1999
6       20          Jul 9-28, 1954
7       19          Aug 8-26, 2006
8 (tie) 18          Jul 31 - Aug 17, 2010
        18          Jul 2-19, 1978
10      17          Aug 2-18, 1956  

Rank    # of Days   Year
1       69          1980
2       56          1998
3       52          1954
4       48          1956
5       46          2000
6       44          1952
7       43          2006
8       40          1951
9 (tie) 38          2011
        38          1963

Here are the top 10 streaks and annual totals for Waco:

Rank    # of Days   Dates
1       42          Jun 23 - Aug 3, 1980
2       33          Jun 30 - Aug 1, 2011 
3       30          Jun 27 - Jul 26, 1969
4       29          Jul 6 - Aug 3, 1998
5       26          Jul 29 - Aug 23, 1987
6       25          Jul 31 - Aug 24, 2010
7       24          Jul 22 - Aug 14, 1910
8       23          Aug 3-25, 1952
9 (tie) 20          Aug 8-27, 2006
        20          Jul 2-21, 1978

Rank    # of Days   Year
1       63          1980
2       61          1998
3       58          1969
4       55          2009
5 (tie) 52          1990
        52          1977
7(tie)  50          2011 
        50          1925
9(tie)  46          1978
        46          2006

40 Days and Counting: Oklahoma 100° Streak Continues

2011-08-01T10:59:00.003-04:00

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

Oklahoma Mesonet data shows that the streak of 100° temperatures has reached 40 consecutive days in the southwestern part of the state as of July 31 (click to enlarge):

July Heat Smashes All-Time Washington/Baltimore Records

2011-08-01T10:35:00.003-04:00

Here is the preliminary National Weather Service report confirming the all-time record heat for July 2011 in the Washington/Baltimore region:

..WASHINGTON DC JULY 2011  
  
HOTTEST JULY AND HOTTEST MONTH EVER...MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMP OF 84.5F   
SMASHED PREVIOUS HOTTEST JULY/MONTH AVERAGE OF 83.1F SET JULY 2010   
AND JULY 1993.  
  
TWO NEW DAILY RECORD HIGHS WERE SET...102F ON THE 23RD AND 104F ON   
THE 30TH.  
  
A READING OF 104F ON JULY 29TH TIED FOR 5TH ALL TIME DAILY HOTTEST   
TEMPERATURE EVER. THE HOTTEST DAY IN WASHINGTON SINCE 1872 IS 106F   
RECORDED TWICE...JULY 20TH 1930 AND AUGUST 6TH 1918.  
  
MOST NUMBER OF DAYS IN JULY...OR FOR ANY MONTH...WHEN DAILY TEMPS   
HIT 90F OR BETTER...25. PREVIOUS HIGHEST TALLY OF DAYS HITTING 90F   
OR BETTER...24...IN JULY 1987 AND JULY 1993.  
  
HOTTEST MONTHLY AVERAGE MAX TEMP FOR ANY MONTH INCLUDING JULY...OF   
93.6F BEAT THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 92.8F SET IN JULY 1999.  
  
HIGHEST MONTHLY AVERAGE MIN TEMP FOR ANY MONTH INCLUDING JULY OF   
75.4F BEAT THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 73.9F SET LAST JULY 2010.  
  
A NEW RECORD WAS SET FOR THE NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS WHERE THE   
TEMPERATURE DID NOT DROP BELOW 80F...4 DAYS FROM THE 21ST THROUGH  
THE 25TH.  
  
JULY 2011 FEATURED THE MOST NUMBER OF DAYS FOR ANY MONTH WHERE THE   
TEMPERATURES STAYED AT OR ABOVE 80F IN WASHINGTON DC...7.  
  
   
..BALTIMORE MD JULY 2011  
  
HOTTEST JULY AND HOTTEST MONTH EVER...MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMP OF 81.7F   
EDGED THE PREVIOUS HOTTEST JULY/MONTH AVERAGE OF 81.5F SET JULY   
2010...JULY 1995...AND JULY 1872.  
  
THREE DAILY RECORD HIGHS WERE EITHER BROKEN...106F ON THE 22ND AND   
101F ON THE 29TH...OR TIED...102F ON THE 23RD.  
  
MOST NUMBER OF DAYS IN JULY...OR FOR ANY MONTH...WHEN DAILY TEMPS   
HIT 90F OR BETTER...24. PREVIOUS HIGHEST TALLY OF DAYS HITTING 90F   
OR BETTER...22...IN JULY 1988 AND JULY 1999.  
  
HOTTEST MONTHLY AVERAGE MAX TEMP FOR ANY MONTH INCLUDING JULY OF   
92.9F BEAT THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 92.5F SET LAST JULY 2010.  
  
A READING OF 106F ON JULY 22ND TIED FOR 2ND ALL TIME DAILY HOTTEST   
TEMPERATURE EVER. THE HOTTEST DAY IN BALTIMORE REMAINS 107F RECORDED   
IN 1936 ON JULY 10TH.  
  
A NEW DAILY HIGH MIN TEMPERATURE RECORD OF 81F WAS SET ON THE 22ND.  
   
..INTERESTINGLY  
THE JULY 2011 MONTHLY AVERAGE MIN TEMP OF 70.4F   
RANKED AS THE 24TH WARMEST OF ALL JULYS IN BALTIMORE...AND WAS ONE   
TENTH OF A DEGF LESS THAN THE MONTHLY AVERAGE MIN TEMP OF 70.5F FROM   
LAST JULY 2010.  
  
   
..DULLES VA JULY 2011  
  
HOTTEST JULY AND HOTTEST MONTH EVER...MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMP OF 81.0F   
SMASHES PREVIOUS HOTTEST JULY/MONTH AVERAGE OF 79.7F SET IN JULY   
1993. RECORDING KEEPING AT DULLES BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 1962.  
  
JULY 2011 MARKED THE FIRST TIME EVER AT DULLES THE MONTHLY AVERAGE   
TEMPERATURE AVERAGED ABOVE 80F.  
  
THREE DAILY RECORD HIGHS WERE EITHER BROKEN...105F ON THE 22ND AND   
103F ON THE 29TH...OR TIED...99F ON THE 23RD.  
  
THE READING OF 105F ON JULY 22ND IS THE HOTTEST ALL TIME TEMPERATURE   
EVER RECORDED AT DULLES. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS ALL TIME HIGH   
TEMPERATURE RECORD OF 104F SET TWICE BEFORE...JULY 16TH 1988 AND   
AUGUST 20TH 1983.   
  
MOST NUMBER OF DAYS IN JULY...OR FOR ANY MONTH...WHEN DAILY TEMPS   
HIT 90F OR BETTER...24. PREVIOUS HIGHEST TALLY OF DAYS HITTING 90F   
OR BETTER...21...IN JULY 1987...JULY 1988 AND JULY 1999.  
  
HOTTEST MONTHLY AVERAGE MAX TEMP FOR ANY MONTH INCLUDING JULY OF   
92.8F BEAT THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 92.5F SET LAST JULY 2010.  
  
2ND HIGHEST MONTHLY AVERAGE MIN TEMP OF 69.1F...SECOND ONLY TO THAT   
OF JULY 1994...69.4F.

It Was Hotter in the 1930s

2011-08-01T01:25:00.002-04:00

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

One often-repeated claim is that global temperatures are not warming because they were higher in the 1930s. Aside from the fact that this is a U.S.-centric argument based on the extreme temperatures in the Midwest and Southern Plains during the Dust Bowl years, it simply isn't true. This fact is being hammered home even more vigorously with the record-setting heat wave of 2011. July is closing out with all-time record hot monthly temperatures from Austin to Washington, as well as many points in between.

One location in the heart of the Dust Bowl, Oklahoma City, is finishing its hottest month on record. According to preliminary data from the National Weather Service, the July average temperature through the 30th of 89.2° is enough to ensure that the month will exceed the previous all-time hottest month of August 1936, which had an average of 88.7°. This is also well above the previous hottest July average of 88.3°, which was set in 1934 and tied in 1980.

Wichita Falls is also completing its hottest July on record.

Here's the preliminary report from NWS:

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR MONTH OF JULY 2011 ARE EXPECTED TO BE   
THE WARMEST ON RECORD FOR ANY JULY FOR BOTH OKLAHOMA CITY AND   
WICHITA FALLS. ALTHOUGH THE RECORDS WILL NOT BECOME OFFICIAL UNTIL   
THE END OF THE CALENDAR DAY... NO CHANGE IS EXPECTED IN THE COMPUTED   
AVERAGES FOR THIS MONTH AS TEMPERATURES ARE NOT FORECAST TO COOL   
ENOUGH TO AFFECT THE VALUES.   
  
AT OKLAHOMA CITY, THE WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE ON RECORD FOR JULY   
WAS 88.3 DEGREES, WHICH OCCURRED BACK IN 1980 AND 1934.  THE AVERAGE   
TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2011 IS EXPECTED TO BE 89.2 DEGREES... WHICH   
WILL BREAK THE RECORD FOR THE WARMEST JULY ON RECORD.  
  
AT WICHITA FALLS,THE WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE ON RECORD FOR JULY   
WAS 91.9 DEGREES, WHICH OCCURRED BACK IN 1980.  THE AVERAGE   
TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 2011 IS EXPECTED TO BE 92.9 DEGREES... WHICH   
WILL BREAK THE RECORD FOR THE WARMEST JULY ON RECORD.  IN ADDITION,   
THE TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNT FOR JULY 2011 WAS A TRACE, WHICH IS RANKED   
AS THE SECOND DRIEST JULY ON RECORD.  THE DRIEST JULY ON RECORD WAS   
ZERO RAINFALL, WHICH OCCURRED BACK IN 2003.  
  
BOTH CITIES HAVE BROKEN OR TIED MANY DAILY WARMEST HIGH AND LOW   
TEMPERATURES AS WELL.

Austin's All-Time Hottest Month in 157-Year History

2011-07-31T19:16:00.006-04:00

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

Aug. 1 Update: It was also the 4th driest July at Austin. Here's the report from the National Weather Service, just posted earlier this afternoon:

JULY 2011 WAS THE WARMEST JULY AND MONTH AT AUSTIN MABRY...FROM 1854   
TO 2011...WITH THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 89.7 DEGREES.  JULY 2011   
WAS THE 3RD WARMEST JULY AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM...FROM 1943 TO 2011...  
WITH THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 86.1 DEGREES.  JULY OF 2011 WAS  
A TIE FOR THE 4TH DRIEST JULY AT AUSTIN MABRY...WITH JULY 1924...  
AND THE 4TH DRIEST JULY AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM.  IN JULY OF 2011  
AUSTIN MABRY AND AUSTIN BERGSTROM BOTH HAD 0.05 INCHES OF RAIN.  
  
AT SAN ANTONIO...JULY 2011 TIED WITH JULY OF 1994 FOR THE 3RD   
WARMEST JULY...FROM 1885 TO 2011...WITH THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF   
87.9 DEGREES.  AT DEL RIO JULY 2011 WAS THE 8TH WARMEST JULY OF   
RECORD...FROM 1906 TO 2011...WITH THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF  
88.8 DEGREES.  JULY 2011 RAINFALL OF 0.37 INCHES AT DEL RIO  
AND 0.96 INCHES AT SAN ANTONIO WAS NOT IN THE TOP 10 DRIEST  
JULYS OF RECORD AT DEL RIO OR SAN ANTONIO.  
  
THE LISTS BELOW SHOW THE WARMEST AND DRIEST JULYS OF RECORD AT   
AUSTIN...DEL RIO...AND SAN ANTONIO.   
  
WARMEST JULYS AT AUSTIN MABRY 1854 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 2011    89.7...ALSO HOTTEST MONTH FROM 1854 TO 2011   
2.  JULY OF 2009           89.5  
3.  JULY OF 1860           89.1  
4.  JULY OF 1879 AND 1884  88.3  
  
DRIEST JULYS AT AUSTIN MABRY 1856 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 1871...1984...1895 AND 1962  0.00  
2.  JULY OF 1887...1894...AND 1993       TRACE  
3.  JULY OF 1913                         0.01  
4.  JULY OF 1924 AND 2011                0.05  
  
WARMEST JULYS AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM 1943 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 1953   86.8  
2.  JULY OF 1998   86.5  
3.  JULY OF 2011   86.1  
4.  JULY OF 1956 AND 2008  85.4  
  
DRIEST JULYS AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM 1943 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 1947                  0.00  
2.  JULY OF 1993                  TRACE  
3.  JULY OF 1951...1986 AND 1994  0.02  
4.  JULY OF 2011                  0.05  
  
WARMEST JULYS AT DEL RIO 1906 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 1998   91.7...ALSO HOTTEST MONTH FROM 1906 TO 2011  
2.  JULY OF 1980   90.1  
3.  JULY OF 2009   90.0  
4.  JULY OF 1953 AND 2000   89.7  
5.  JULY OF 1951   89.5  
6.  JULY OF 1996   89.2  
7.  JULY OF 2001   89.1  
8.  JULY OF 2011   88.8  
  
DRIEST JULYS AT DEL RIO 1906 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 1951...1953...1956...1957 AND 1998  TRACE  
2.  JULY OF 1944 AND 2006                       0.01  
3.  JULY OF 1970                                0.04  
4.  JULY OF 1966                                0.05  
  
WARMEST JULYS AT SAN ANTONIO 1885 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 2009   88.7...ALSO HOTTEST MONTH FROM 1885 TO 2011  
2.  JULY OF 1980 AND 1998   88.1  
3.  JULY OF 1994 AND 2011   87.9  
4.  JULY OF 1996            87.3  
5.  JULY OF 1962            86.9  
  
DRIEST JULYS AT SAN ANTONIO 1871 TO 2011  
  
1.  JULY OF 1871            0.00  
2.  JULY OF 1944...1984...1993...AND 1997   TRACE  
3.  JULY OF 1953            0.01  
4.  JULY OF 1914 AND 1964   0.02  
   
THE TABLE BELOW SHOWS THE NUMBER OF 100 DEGREE DAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR   
AT AUSTIN...DEL RIO...HONDO...NEW BRAUNFELS...SAN ANTONIO AND   
UVALDE...THROUGH JULY 31ST.  
   
LOCATION                100 DEGREE DAYS     HOTTEST DAY  
                         AS OF JULY 31     AS OF JULY 31  
   
DEL RIO                        55        106 MAY 28...JUN 17...18 AND 19  
UVALDE                         23        108 JUN 17...18 AND 19  
NEW BRAUNFELS                  32        105 JUN 18  
AUSTIN MABRY                   47        106 JUN 17 AND 18    
AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AP       34        105 JUN 18   
SAN ANTONIO INTL AP            23        104 JUN 17 AND 18   
SAN ANTONIO STINSON            49        107 JUN 17   
HONDO                          41        107 JUN 18  
   
THE TABLE BELOW SHOWS THE MOST CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAYS AND MOST  
100 DEGREE DAYS OF RECORD IN A YEAR AT AUSTIN...DEL RIO...AND  
SAN ANTONIO.  
   
LOCATION            MOST CONSECUTIVE              MOST 100 DEGREE  
                    100 DEGREE DAYS               DAYS IN A YEAR  
   
AUSTIN MABRY      21 JUL 12 TO AUG  1...2001        69 IN 1925  
                                                    68 IN 2009  
  
AUSTIN BERGSTROM  23 JUL 27 TO AUG 18...1951        55 IN 2009  
                                                    50 IN 1998  
  
DEL RIO           50 JUN 17 TO AUG  5...1980        78 IN 1953  
                                                    72 IN 2001  
  
SAN ANTONIO       21 JUL 24 TO AUG 13...1962        59 IN 2009  
                                                    36 IN 1998

Original post:
Just 2 years after setting the record for all-time hottest month in July 2009, preliminary data from Austin indicate unofficially that this month's average temperature of 89.7° will set another new record. With today's high of 102°, only 2 days this month (the 1st and 16th) have failed to reach 100°. This record hottest month immediately follows the second hottest June in Austin history.

Washington's Hottest Month Ever, By Wide Margin

2011-07-28T21:40:00.013-04:00

See here for updated July data.

Aug. 1 Update: Chart updated with July 2011 record-breaking average of 84.5°.

July 31, 6 PM Update: Today's high of 99° and preliminary low of 80° each exceeded expectations by about 6°. If the low holds, the monthly average will increase to 84.5°, which is a remarkable 1.4° above the old all-time monthly record tied last year.

July 30, 5:30 PM Update: The daily high temperature at Washington National is 97°.

July 30, 2 PM Update: The high so far is 96°. The month-to-date average is up to 84.3°.

July 30, Noon Update: The morning low temperature of 81°, if it were to hold through midnight, would break the high minimum record by 3°.

July 30, 1:30 AM Update: The Washington daily low temperature of 80° is confirmed, tying the record high minimum set in 1949. The number of daily high minimums set or tied this month is now 6, and the record of 78° for the 30th is looking vulnerable with a current temperature of 85° (although the dewpoint is significantly lower than last night).

July 29, 5:30 PM Update: The preliminary daily climate report is in with a high of 104°. That smashes the previous Washington daily record by 5° and is just 2° below the all-time high. It's also enough to squeak out another tenth of a degree on the monthly average to date, raising it to 84.2°.

The high of 103° broke the Dulles record by an amazing 6°, and the 101° at Baltimore/BWI also set a record. Baltimore downtown (Inner Harbor) was 104°.

July 29, 5 PM Update: And, in fact, the 5:00 temperature is 103°, raising the record still further. Washington Dulles is at 102°, a daily record there by a margin of 5°.

July 29, 4 PM Update: Today's high/low temperatures so far of 102°/80° raise the month-to-date by 0.2° to 84.1° and the projected final average to 84.3°. Since the reading has been 102° for 3 consecutive hours, it's likely that the final high will be at least 103°.

Original post:
For the second year in a row, July will be the hottest month ever observed in Washington since official climate records began 140 years ago. Unlike 2010, however, when the July record accomplished a tie with 1993 by the narrowest possible margin, this July is literally burning up the record books. With today's high/low of 95°/78;deg;, the monthly average to date is 83.9°, well above the previous record of 83.1°.

Factoring in the forecast of a record-tying 99° tomorrow and more 90s for the last 2 days of the month, the average is likely to reach 84.2°, over 1° above the old record. This would be a bigger difference from the previous record than the difference between the current hottest July and the 5th place holder.

As for the prospects for the rest of the summer, here's what we said last year at this time:

Is there any clue to August's behavior from the fact that it's been so hot in July? Although there is little month-to-month correlation in Washington temperatures, the July-August correlation is one of the strongest in the year. The correlation coefficient of 0.227 says that about 23% of the variance in August temperature is explained by July's temperature. (The June-July correlation is only 0.133.) If you look at the right hand side of the chart of July vs. August temperatures, you can see that all of the hottest Julys are at or above the trend.

Furthermore, 10 of the top 11 hottest Julys have had August averages above the current August normal of 77.4°. Looking at all 28 of the past Julys with averages above 80°, the average for August was 78.1°, which is above average. In recent years, with the notable exceptions of 2004 and 2008, there has also been a tendency for August temperatures to be near or hotter than July on average, even though the long-term average is reversed.

Images (click to enlarge): July 2011 projected and observed average temperatures to date, plus 10 previous hottest Julys and long-term (1971-2000) average; 1871-2009 July vs. August average temperatures and regression line

Climatologists Acting Weird; Meteorologists, Too

2011-07-28T21:30:00.004-04:00

Welcome, Tom Nelson fans. Check out what you've been missing here.

Strange behavior in the climosphere, from The Onion (h/t to MT):

Nation's Climatologists Exhibiting Strange Behavior (Season 1: Ep 5 on IFC)

The Daily Show also reports on "Extreme Weather Hotportunity":

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Extreme Weather Hotportunity

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Wyatt Cenac elaborates further:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Extreme Weather Hotportunity - Egg Salad Sandwich

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Update: Chicago's Record Wettest July

2011-07-28T14:45:00.006-04:00

July 29 Update: A 24-hour total of 1.40" through this morning extends the July record to 11.15" and raises the month to number 7 overall.

Original post:
After getting an all-time record daily rainfall on Saturday, Chicago received another 0.71" on Wednesday, July 28. This pushed the monthly total to an all-time July record of 9.75". An additional 0.06" has fallen so far today, raising the amount to 9.81". July 2011 is now the 9th wettest calendar month at Chicago.

The 10 wettest months at Chicago are:

RANK..................VALUE..................MONTH/YEAR
1.....................17.10..................AUG/1987
2.....................14.17..................SEPT/1961
3.....................13.63..................SEPT/2008
4.....................12.25..................AUG/2001
5.....................12.06..................OCT/1954
6.....................11.28..................AUG/1885
7.....................10.58..................JUNE/1892
8......................9.96..................JUNE/1993
9......................9.81..................JULY/2011
10.....................9.70..................AUG/2007

Rainfall amounts for the 24 hours ending this morning were considerably higher in Lake County to the north:

THE FOLLOWING ARE RAIN AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 24-HOURS
 AS MEASURED IN THE MORNING BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS
 AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS.
 OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN BETWEEN 6 AND 8 AM.

 24-HOUR RAINFALL AMOUNTS
     FOR THURSDAY(07/28/11)...

ILLINOIS                                       RAIN
LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL (IN)

GURNEE 2NE (LAKE)............................4.10
BEACH PARK (LAKE)............................4.00
BEACH PARK 1W (LAKE).........................4.00
WAUKEGAN (LAKE)..............................3.46
ZION (LAKE)..................................3.27
WINTHROP HARBOR (LAKE).......................3.10
WINTHROP HARBOR 1SSW (LAKE)..................2.90
GURNEE 2W (LAKE).............................2.75

All-Time Record Daily Rainfall Sends Chicago From 3rd Driest to 2nd Wettest July

2011-07-25T16:15:00.006-04:00

July 28 Update: Chicago's Record Wettest July

Original post:
The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that the 6.86" of rainfall at Chicago on Saturday, July 23, broke the record for the date of 2.79" set just last year. It also set an all-time calendar day precipitation record, surpassing the 6.64" on September 13, 2008. The 8.20" of rainfall in a 24-hour period ending 7 am CDT Saturday was below the record set on August 13-14, 1987, however.

With one week remaining in the month, the July total of 9.04" is now slightly over half an inch below the July monthly record of 9.56" in July 1889. The 0.45" of rain which fell through the first 3 weeks of the month would have made this the 3rd driest July in 140 years of Chicago records dating back to 1871.

Image (click to enlarge): Chicago area 24-hour rainfall ending 7 am CDT, July 23, 2011, from NWS; Chicago rainfall rate and accumulation, July 23, 2011, from Iowa Environmental Mesonet via NWS

U.S. Summer Heat Records Continue Overwhelming Cold Records By Over 8:1

2011-07-25T13:17:00.007-04:00

They haven't matched the incredible pace of June records, but U.S. temperature extremes this summer continue to overwhelmingly favor hot records vs. cold records. Through the 23rd, the number of daily high temperature records reported by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in July outnumbered low temperature records by a ratio of over 5 to 1. Combined with June's torrid ratio of nearly 11 to 1, the ratio for the summer to date stands at 8.3 to 1. For the year 2011 to date, as well as the last 12 consecutive months, the ratio has risen to 2.6 to 1.

December 2010 is now the only month in the past 17 consecutive months with more cold records than heat records, and that was only by the slim margin of about 1.5 to 1.

Results have been particularly dramatic for longer-term records. A total of 65 all-time July monthly heat records have been set so far vs. only 8 monthly cold records, for a ratio of over 8 to 1. Out of those July monthly records, 44 were all-time record highs for any month.

Image (click to enlarge):
Monthly ratios and monthly total numbers of daily high temperature and low temperature records set in the U.S. for July 2010 through July 23 2011; Cumulative excess of heat records vs. cold records since January 2010. Data from NOAA National Climatic Data Center, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.

Raleigh Sets Record for Consecutive 100° Days

2011-07-25T01:49:00.002-04:00

The National Weather Service reports:

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY AT THE RALEIGH-DURHAM INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT WAS 101 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 100 DEGREES
LAST SET IN 2010.

THIS IS ALSO THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE 100 DEGREE DAY AT THE
RALEIGH-DURHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT... WHICH BREAKS THE OLD RECORD
OF FOUR CONSECUTIVE DAYS.

Washington Ties All-Time Minimum Temperature Record for Second Consecutive Day

2011-07-25T01:08:00.011-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Graph from National Weather Service shows temperatures above 80° at Washington, DC for over 4 consecutive calendar days.

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

July 25, 5 PM Update: The daily low has now dropped to 79°, ending the streak of 80°+ temperatures. The 79° was first reported at 4:15.

July 25, 2 PM Update: Thunderstorms have dipped the temperature to 82°, so the record is still in play, if barely.

July 25, 10 AM Update: With increasing chances for thunderstorms today, it's unlikely to persist through midnight, but this morning's low temperature of 80° would break the high minimum record for the date of 79° set in 1965. It would also stretch the record of consecutive calendar days at 80° or above to 5.

Original post:
With a temperature of 84° at 1 am (midnight standard time), the low temperature for Sunday, July 24, at Washington, DC broke the record warmest minimum for the date by 3°. The previous record was 81°, set just last year. The 84° low on the previous day also broke a daily record by 3°; that record was set in 1978. These 2 consecutive minimums also tied the all-time record high minimum set on July 16, 1983.

This means that for the first time in records which date back 140 years to 1871, the Washington temperature has failed to go below 84° for over 48 consecutive hours. The continuing heat has also extended to 4 days a record stretch of temperatures of 80° or above. The temperature has been above 80° continuously since 8 am on Wednesday, July 20.

New daily high minimum records have now been set on the past 3 consecutive days. This brings to 5 the total number of daily minimum records set or tied this calendar month. The high minimum records were also set on 2 additional days in 2010, so an entire week's worth of July daily records have been set or tied in the past 2 years. Of all of the 31 daily high minimum records for July, only 5 were set prior to 1980. In contrast, only 1 July daily low minimum temperature record has been set or tied since 1980.

Record Mid Atlantic Heat Continues;Update: Atlantic City Has Second Hottest All-Time Temperature

2011-07-23T17:32:00.007-04:00

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

Record-setting triple digit temperatures continued for a second day today (July 23) in the Mid Atlantic area. The high of 102° at Washington National broke the old record of 101° in 1991. There are now over 120 years of difference between the record low temperature for the date (56° in 1890) and the high temperature. Barring some evening thunderstorms, the morning low of 84°, if it holds through midnight, will tie the all-time warmest low temperature at Washington.

The high of 99° at Washington Dulles tied the record set in 1991.

The 102° at Baltimore BWI tied the July 23 record of 102°, also set in 1991. The Baltimore Inner Harbor high was 103°.

The high of 103° at Salisbury, Maryland broke the 1952 record by 3°.

Norfolk tied its 103° record, also from 1952.

In New Jersey, the high of 105° at Atlantic City blasted away the 1991 record of 100° by 5°.

Trenton also destroyed its 1991 record by a comparable amount with a new record of 104° vs. the old one of 99°.

The 100° at Reading, Pennsylvania broke the old record of 99° in 1955.

Another 1991 record was eclipsed at Philadelphia, where the 101° surpassed the previous 99°.

In Delaware, the 1991 record of 99° at Wilmington was replaced with a new record of 100°.

Georgetown DE had a high of 104°, which wiped out the 1952 record of 101°.

All 8 of the major climate reporting stations in the Philadelphia region, with the exception of Mt. Pocono and Allentown, set daily records.

Update:
According to National Weather Service records, the 105° at Atlantic City tied the second hottest temperature ever observed in records which date back to 1874. The previous second place value occurred yesterday, so 3 of the top 10 hottest temperatures at Atlantic City have now been recorded this year. The top 10 hottest temperatures through yesterday were:

Rank  Value  Date
  1   106.0  6/28/1969
  2   105.0  7/22/2011
  3   104.0  7/3/1966, 8/7/1918
  5   103.0  8/9/2001
  6   102.0  6/9/2011, 7/6/2010, 7/4/1966, 7/21/1930
 10   101.0  8/8/2007

All-Time Record High Temperature at Hartford

2011-07-22T18:29:00.001-04:00

From the National Weather Service:

AT 406 PM THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 103 DEGREES AT BRADLEY   
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS SETS A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR   
TODAYS DATE FOR HARTFORD CT. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 101 DEGREES IN   
1926.  
  
THE TEMPERATURE OF 103 DEGREES ALSO SETS AN ALL TIME RECORD HIGH   
TEMPERATURE FOR HARTFORD. THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 102 DEGREES WAS SET   
ON MULTIPLE DATES OF JULY 6 2010...AUGUST 9 OF 2001 AND JULY 3 OF   
1996.

Record Heat Extends to Canada: All-Time Highest Minimum at Toronto

2011-07-22T18:14:00.003-04:00

According to The Globe and Mail ("Blistering heat bakes Ontario with record temperatures"), Toronto's minimum temperature of 26.6°C (80°F) on Thursday (July 21) set a record for all-time highest minimum. The high temperature of 37.5°C was a new daily record at Toronto. Daily records were set elsewhere in Ontario, including temperatures of 36.9°C in Windsor, 36.4°C in London and 36°C in Hamilton.

(h/t to AtmosNews)

Washington Dulles Sets All-Time High Temperature Record; Mid Atlantic Daily Records Smashed by Wide Margin

2011-07-22T17:27:00.006-04:00

The high temperature of 105° at 3:52 pm today at Washington Dulles is a new all-time record. It beats the old record for July 22 of 98° in 1998 by 7°. The previous July monthly record and all-time record was 104° on July 16, 1988. The August monthly record is also 104°, set on August 20, 1983. Dulles climate records began in 1962.

The Washington National high of 102° was 1° below the record of 103° in 1926.

The high of 106° at Baltimore BWI broke the daily record of 101° from 1957 by 5°. This is the second highest temperature in history at Baltimore. The all-time high was 107° on July 10, 1936, but the highest record for any other day was 105°. Baltimore climate records began in 1870.

New York Hottest Since 1977

2011-07-22T14:38:00.004-04:00

3 PM Update: Central Park's temperature is currently down to 102°.

Original post:
The high temperature of 104° so far today (as of 2 pm) at Central Park is the highest for any day since July 21st, 1977, according to National Weather Service records. This also breaks the record for the date of 101° set in 1957.

Other century-plus readings so far today in the New York region:

POUGHKEEPSIE   100
ISLIP          100
LAGUARDIA APRT 100 
KENNEDY INTL   102
TETERBORO      102
ATLANTIC CITY  102

Fort Smith Sets Record 100°+ Streak

2011-07-22T14:02:00.005-04:00

See Record Heat for the latest updates.

With a temperature of 102° by 1 pm CDT today, Fort Smith, Arkansas set a new record for consecutive 100°+ days with 18, exceeding the previous record of 17 ending on 7/26/1934. The temperature at Fort Smith has been 100° or higher every day this month except for the 4th, when the high was 97°. The total of 21 100°+ days so far this month is the 3rd highest for July, behind 22 in 1954 and 25 in 1934. Climate records at Fort Smith began in 1882.

Newark Near Breaks Extends All-Time Temperature Record

2011-07-22T13:23:00.008-04:00

3 PM Update: Newark's all-time record is up another notch at an incredible 108° (42.2°C).

2:15 PM Update: The 2 pm report from Newark shows a high so far today of 107°, exceeding the old record, which had been tied 4 times, by 2°. For the geeks, here is the historic report, showing a high temperature in the past 6 hours of 41.7°C.:


KEWR 221751Z 27015G19KT 9SM FEW060 41/20 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP099 HAZE ALOFT T04110200 10417 20322 58001

2 PM Update: The Newark all-time high temperature record has been broken with a reading of 106° at 2 pm.

Original post:
With the peak afternoon heating still to go, Newark, New Jersey has reached 104° as of 1 pm. This is just 1° below the all-time high temperature record at Newark of 105°. Since daily records began in 1929, the record temperature has been observed 4 times in July and once each in August and September:

July  3 1966
July  4 1949
July  8 1993 
July 10 1993
Aug.  9 2001 
Sept. 2 1953

100+ Heat Indices in Northern New England

2011-07-22T12:13:00.004-04:00

Yesterday's high temperatures of 97° at both Concord, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine both fell short of records set in 1977, but heat indices have already reached 100 or more in northern New England by noon today. Here are some reports from Maine and New Hampshire:

Location           Temperature Dewpoint Relative Heat   
                                        Humidity Index    
Portland               95         69        42    100
Sanford                97         72        44    105
Wiscasset              95         72        47    103
Rockland               93         73        52    102
Portsmouth             97         71        43    105
Nashua                 98         69        38    104
Manchester             96         68        39    101

To the south, both Boston and New York are at 98° with heat indices of 107 and 108, respectively. Central Park in New York has a temperature of 100° and dewpoint of 76° for a heat index of 114.

Idiot America Report: Bashing "Haboobs"; Next Up, Banning Algebra

2011-07-22T01:40:00.005-04:00

The NY Times reports today that some residents of Arizona are offended at the use of the term "haboob" to refer to dust storms because of its Middle Eastern origin. Presumably, they will now be mounting a campaign to ban the teaching of algebra.

"I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling this kind of storm a haboob," Don Yonts, a resident of Gilbert, Ariz., wrote to The Arizona Republic after a particularly fierce, mile-high dust storm swept through the state on July 5. "How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term?"

Dangerous 105+ Heat Indices Reach East Coast;Update: Syracuse Sets July Record

2011-07-21T13:37:00.011-04:00

Images (click to enlarge): U.S. heat index at 1 pm EDT, July 21, 2011, from Unisys; Heat index calculated from temperature and relative humidity (graph by CapitalClimate, table from National Weather Service)

6 PM Update: Added daily high temperatures to the table below. The Raleigh temperature tied the record set in 1952. Syracuse broke the record of 95° set in 1930 and 1933 by 6°.

A temperature of 98° and dewpoint of 76° (50% relative humidity) at Washington National at 5 pm produced a heat index of 114.

3 PM Update: The 97°/51% at Washington National raises the heat index to 112.

2:45 PM Update: This is the first time the temperature has ever reached 100° at Syracuse in July since records began at the current location in 1950. The temperature was 100° on August 9, 2001 and 101° on August 14, 2002.

Original Post
By 1 pm today, near-record heat coupled with high humidity to produce 100+ heat index values along most of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic coasts. In portions of the Carolinas and Virginia and northward into New York, heat indices were in the dangerous 105-110 range. Oppressive dewpoints of 70° or higher stretched from the Gulf Coast northward across the eastern Great Lakes into southern Canada and along nearly the entire East Coast. Here are some representative values of temperature, dewpoint, relative humidity, and heat index as of 2 pm EDT:

Location           Temperature Dewpoint Relative Heat   Daily
                                        Humidity Index   High
Washington Natl.       95         77        56    109      99
Washington Dulles      97         72        45    105     100
Baltimore BWI          98         74        46    109     100
Baltimore Downtown    101         75        44    114     103 
Richmond               96         77        55    111      99                   
Raleigh               100         70        38    107     102
Philadelphia           96         74        49    107      98    
Central Park NY        96         76        52    109      97            
Albany NY              96         70        43    102      99    
Poughkeepsie NY        96         73        48    105      98    
Syracuse NY           100         73        42    110     101                     
Boston                 97         70        42    103      97    
Hartford               97         70        42    103      98

Minneapolis Humidity Reaches (Unofficial) Record;Confirmation Confounded by Political Kerfluffle

2011-07-20T02:08:00.007-04:00

Image (click to enlarge): Dewpoint temperature at 3 pm CDT, July 19,2011, from Unisys

The National Weather Service reported on Tuesday (July 19) that the Minneapolis dewpoint reached an unofficial record of 82°, resulting in near-record heat index values. The Minnesota State Climatology Office, which could confirm the record, remains closed as a result of a state budget political showdown, now in its third week.

THE DEW POINT TEMPERATURE AT THE MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT WAS 82 DEGREES ON THE 3 PM AND 4 PM OBSERVATION. THIS IS THE
HIGHEST DEW POINT TEMPERATURE REPORTED ON AN HOURLY OBSERVATION AT
THE MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SINCE HOURLY DEW POINT
RECORDS BEGAN IN 1945.

THE PREVIOUS HOURLY DEW POINT RECORD WAS 81 DEGREES...WHICH WAS SET
ON JULY 30TH 1999. A DEW POINT OF 81 DEGREES WAS ALSO REPORTED AT
THE AIRPORT ON SUNDAY...MONDAY...AND EARLIER TODAY /JULY 17-19/.

THE MINNESOTA STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE IS THE OFFICIAL SOURCE OF
DEW POINT RECORDS ACROSS THE STATE. THIS NEW RECORD WILL BE
CONSIDERED UNOFFICIAL UNTIL IT IS CONFIRMED BY THE STAFF AT THE
STATE CLIMATE OFFICE.