Hawaiis peak drought extent occurred during November with approximately 74 percent coverage. In addition, there were two EF-0 tornadoes, one in eastern New York and one in eastern Massachusetts. The nationally averaged maximum temperature (daytime highs) was above average for 2020 at 66.3F, 2.3F above average, ranking as sixth warmest in the 126-year record. The six Midwest states with above-normal precipitation in 2020 all exceeded their normal annual precipitation by November, and Kentucky did so in October. In fact, according to the National Weather Service, it was the latest occurrence of snow on record for the New York City area climate sites, which saw a trace. July was warmer than normal across all six states, with Texas experiencing its sixth-warmest July on record. The lack of a need for supplemental drying was a benefit for farmers. During July, the general trend across the region was worsening conditions. Temperatures across the region for 2020 averaged 1.2 degrees F (0.7 C) above normal. Across the region, there were hundreds of closed roads, stranded vehicles, water rescues, and buildings affected by flooding. There were 3,843 severe weather reports across the Southeast region during the year, which is over 130 percent of the median annual frequency of 2,936 reports during 20002019. The greatest totals of over 12 inches (30 cm) were reported in northwestern Pennsylvania, with a location in Erie County picking up 22.5 inches (57.2 cm). Kentucky was the wettest state with 9.97 inches (253 mm) above normal which ranked as the 8th wettest in its history. There were scattered areas of below normal temperatures across Arkansas that averaged 0 to 1 degrees F (0.00 to 0.56 degrees C) below normal. The snow from the storm helped Caribou have its second longest streak with at least an inch (2.54 cm) of snow depth at 159 days (November 12, 2019 to April 18, 2020). For the West Coast fires, the exceptionally dry winter followed by a dry and hot summer and autumn were the main climate contributing factors. The fewest number of reports occurred in South Carolina (510; 13 percent of total), while the greatest number was recorded in Georgia (873; 23 percent of total). Iowa had its 3rd driest August in history. Precipitation for the year was above normal in the Interior and Southeast, and below normal in Southcentral and the Aleutian Islands. In addition, December 17 became the snowiest December day on record for Binghamton, with 26.4 inches (67.1 cm), and Albany, New York, with 19.7 inches (50.0 cm). Numerous trees and branches were felled due to a combination of strong winds, drought stress, and being fully leafed. In early May, climate experts at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) issued an updated collection based on the weather occurring from 1991 to 2020.The data set reflects a "new normal" that takes the most recent 30 years of climate change-influenced weather and climate . Rainfall totals were generally less than 3 inches (8 cm), with higher amounts in northern West Virginia, south-central Pennsylvania, and central and southern Maryland. The year 2020 proved to be a warm year for the Southern Region. Many locations across the region observed their coldest Christmas Day in at least two decades. In a break from recent years, average annual temperatures were generally above normal across the High Plains region, with widespread departures of up to 2.0 degrees F (1.1 degrees C). Burn bans were enacted in several locations. The day, twilights (civil, nautical, and astronomical), and night are indicated by the color . Prior to this, there had only been four February tornadoes in Maryland between 1950 and 2019. 2022 was the sixth-warmest year on record based on NOAA's temperature data. As the low-pressure system that produced the severe weather moved towards New England, a second low developed over the Gulf of Maine and rapidly strengthened to a near-record level for April for Maine. , Apr 17, 2023. Below-average precipitation fell across much of the West, northern Plains and parts of the Northeast. Data for 2020 should be considered preliminary. Numerous daily precipitation extremes were recorded across the region during the year. Five Category 4 and 5 storms formed in the Atlantic during 2020, tying with 1933, 1961, 1999 and 2005 for the record. In addition, two weak (EF-0 or EF-1) tornadoes snapped trees and damaged houses in northern Maryland. Hurricane Iota was the second-strongest November hurricane on record for the Atlantic and was the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record to occur so late in the calendar year. Similarly, several other sites including Hartford, Kennedy Airport, and LaGuardia Airport (New York) did not reach 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) in April, tying as the least number of 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) days on record for April. The highest winds, over 100 miles per hour (161 km per hour), were in central Iowa causing severe damage to crops and trees. April U.S. Release: Mon, 8 May 2023, 11:00 AM EDT, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, NOAA's Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index (REDTI), contiguous U.S. average annual precipitation, lowest known mean sea level pressure on record, nine climatic regions of the National Climatic Data Center, Northeast Regional Climate Center Home Page, Southeast Regional Climate Center Home Page, High Plains Regional Climate Center Home Page, Southern Regional Climate Center Home Page, Western Regional Climate Center Home Page. During a four-day period (August 16-19) 8,532 lightning strikes were detected in central and northern California that ignited 362 new fires, including the August Complex which burned 1,032,649 acres. For instance, in late September, topsoil and subsoil were very dry for 80 to 100 percent of Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Influenced by warm ocean temperatures, Kahului and Hilo experienced a record-warm year in 2020. Significant flooding occurred, particularly in southeastern Pennsylvania where several waterways recorded their highest water levels on record. Annual snowfall accumulations were below average across much of the Southeast region, particularly in the higher elevations of North Carolina and Virginia. Holly National Weather Service office. There were approximately 4,523 severe weather reports throughout the Southern Region for 2020, with 394 tornado reports, 1,310 hail reports, and 2,819 wind reports. Ohio ranked as the 7th warmest in its history and Michigan ranked 10th. Thousands of Christmas tree saplings died and some mature trees dropped excessive amounts of needles or turned yellow in New England. Nearly half (138 of 299) of the tornadoes occurred during April, which had the third highest monthly count of tornadoes across the region behind April 2011 (226) and September 2004 (247). Power outages lasted five days in some locations. Annual precipitation totals were well above average across the Southeast region, with widespread areas of exceptional wetness occurring in every state and Puerto Rico. In addition, about 36,000 homes and businesses in Virginia were without power following the height of the storm. Dulles Airport, Virginia, and Erie, Pennsylvania, set or tied their greatest number of April days with measurable precipitation. This ranked 2020 as the 12th warmest since 1895, and the warmest year since 2012. The result was strong wind gusts for the entire Northeast and a major late season snowstorm for parts of Maine and New Hampshire from April 9 to 10. In fact, some waterways had daily record low flows and a few, including the Aroostook River in northern Maine, recorded all-time record-low flows. Straight-line winds of up to 80 mph (36 m/s) caused extensive damage in several locations. Moderate drought first emerged in Minnesota in early June and by the end of July had touched parts of all nine Midwest states. This years tornado reports were particularly low, with only 129 reported through October. The U.S. Drought Monitor released on January 2, 2020, showed less than 1 percent of the Northeast, a small area in Maryland and Delaware, as abnormally dry. California, Nevada, and the Four Corners states all received below normal precipitation with some pockets of above normal in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Several nights of frost and freezing temperatures during the month caused some grass damage in pastures across northern and central Florida, while low-lying areas of pastures in southern Florida sustained flooding. 2020 was a year of transition for the High Plains region, as cool, wet conditions over the past two years gave way to a warmer and drier regime. In many fields in southern Alabama, Hurricane Sally blew down the cotton crop when bolls had yet to open. Washington, D.C. (18842020), Blacksburg, VA (18932020), and Mt. Through the end of summer, most of the Southeast region remained drought-free, except for a few short-lived pockets of moderate drought in portions of northern and coastal Virginia, Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and west-central Florida. One tornado in Delaware was on the ground for over 35 miles (56 km), the state's longest tornado track on record. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. Overall, Earth's average temperature has risen more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1880s. A rare flash flood emergency was issued by the Philadelphia/Mt. In addition, Burlington, Vermont, tied its greatest number of June days with a high of at least 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). One of the wettest cites in Alaska, Yakutat, also had a dry year with 104.55 in (2655.57 mm, 67% of normal) making it the 6th driest on record. The solar day over the course of the year 2021. In addition, Columbus, GA (18912020) and Macon, GA (18922020) observed their wettest and second wettest April day on record, with 5.92 and 4.41 inches (150 and 112 mm) of rainfall, respectively. The UK mean temperature for 2021 was 9.28C. The storm contributed to hundreds of vehicle crashes, including a pileup involving more than 65 vehicles on Interstate 80 in central Pennsylvania. There were road closures, some evacuations, and reports of water in houses. Winter wheat was also impacted, with at least 15 percent of the crop in poor to very poor condition at the start of 2021 in Colorado (34 percent), Kansas (17 percent), and Nebraska (15 percent), according to the USDAs National Agricultural Statistics Service. Hurricanes Hanna and Delta were primarily rain events, with reports of 15 inches (381 mm) in southern Texas from Hanna and 17 inches (431.80 mm) in southwestern Louisiana from Delta. 2020 ranked among the seven warmest years on record for all the states: second warmest for Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island; third warmest for New York and Pennsylvania; fourth warmest for New Hampshire; fifth warmest for Maine and Vermont; and seventh warmest for West Virginia. On the 30th, San Juan (18982020) observed its second wettest July day on record, with 4.46 inches (113 mm) of precipitation. The Northeast had its hottest July since recordkeeping began with an average temperature of 73.7 degrees F (23.2 degrees C), which was 4.1 degrees F (2.3 degrees C) warmer than normal. Global average surface temperature has risen at an average rate of 0.17F per decade since 1901 (see Figure 2), similar to the rate of warming within the contiguous 48 states. However, the drought was rapidly eliminated by beneficial rainfall from Tropical Storm Isaias at the end of July. Tropical Storm Isaias, the Atlantic Oceans earliest "I" named tropical system on record, produced extreme rainfall, tornadoes, and damaging winds in the Northeast on August 4. The coldest temperature observed during winter 2019-20 in Washington, D.C., was 22 degrees F (-6 degrees C) and at Dulles Airport was 15 degrees F (-9 degrees C), which were the warmest minimum temperatures for winter on record. This could be concerning as spring planting gets underway. This resulted in many locations ranking among the top 10 snowiest Septembers and Octobers on record. Annual Temperature Anomaly. Caribou, Maine, recorded 10.9 inches (27.7 cm) of snow on April 10, making it the sites second snowiest April day on record. The U.S. Drought Monitor released in June 25 showed 16 percent of the Northeast in a moderate drought and 26 percent was abnormally dry. Iowa ranked as the 30th driest in its history. This value will be evaluated by the State Climate Extremes Committee later in 2021 to determine if a state record for lowest mean sea level pressure will be established. Following the passage of Tropical Storm Eta in November, vegetable crops in southern Florida were severely damaged, with estimated costs ranging from $85 to as much as $320 million. The rate of warming since 1981 is more than twice as fast: 0.32 F (0.18 C) per decade. Maple syrup production was slowed in Connecticut, with one producer expecting to lose around $60,000 in revenue. California and Nevada started the year with no drought present. Dropping to 16 degrees F (-8.9 degrees C) on December 26th, Greensboro, NC (19032020) ended its longest streak of 694 consecutive days with a daily minimum temperature at or above 20 degrees F (-6.7 degrees C), surpassing the previous record by 277 days. Numerous roads in the urbanized corridor of southeastern Florida became impassable due to flooding, with many reports of stalled or submerged vehicles. This years drought could reduce next years growth of red oak and white pine trees in New Hampshire. In Alabama, greenhouses and plastic bedding on vegetables were significantly damaged by Zetas high winds. Through summer, the total area experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions increased, with extreme and exceptional drought conditions developing by mid-August. The statewide temperature rankings for 2020 were as follows: Arkansas (thirty-eighth warmest), Louisiana (ninth warmest), Mississippi (tenth warmest), Oklahoma (twenty-eighth warmest), Tennessee (thirteenth warmest), and Texas (seventh warmest). Bellingham, Washington recorded 41.36 in (1050.54 mm, 115% of normal) making it the sixth wettest year since 1949. The total area experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions grew from roughly one-third of the region to two-thirds of the region by the end of the year while the total area experiencing exceptional drought conditions increased. Holly National Weather Service forecast area. In fact, it was the first time on record that Providence reported a high of 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) in the month of January. At the beginning of 2020, only 12 percent of the High Plains region was experiencing moderate to exceptional drought (D1-D4), and these conditions were largely confined to western and southern areas of Colorado and Kansas. Annual temperature departures were above normal for nearly all of the Western U.S. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Chester Creek rose to its fourth highest water level on record, exceeding its previous fourth highest level set days earlier. Drought conditions continued to worsen across much of the region during the fall as precipitation deficits mounted. This was approximately 1.35 . Several notable maximum and minimum temperature records occurred across the region during the year. On April 13th, the strongest tornado of the year across the Southeast region occurred in Hampton County, SC. In May, a Midland, Michigan dam failed due to heavy rains over three days, 17th-19th. For instance, the Perkiomen Creek at Graterford, Pennsylvania, reached 19.14 feet (5.83 m), nearly a foot (0.30 m) higher than its previous record from 1935. On December 31, a strong low-pressure system over the north Pacific Ocean deepened to 921 millibars (27.20 inches of mercury) as it crossed over Attu Island, the westernmost of the Aleutian Island chain. It encompassed nearly the entire West, Northern and central Plains, Great Lakes and much of the East, including. From November 8th through the 12th, Tropical Storm Eta produced 5 to more than 10 inches (127 to more than 254 mm) of rainfall across portions of west-central and southern Florida. Twenty-five fatalities and at least 166 injuries were caused by tornadoes during the year. Dry wells were reported in New York and across New England, including more than 275 wells in Maine. Six of the 12 Northeast states also recorded their hottest July on record: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. For a small area of northwest Oregon, western Washington, and northern Idaho, drought conditions improved with removal of drought for these locations. This dryness eased by mid-February, with the Northeast becoming free of abnormal dryness for the first time since July 2019. The global-mean temperature for March 2021 was higher than the average for 1991-2020, but less extreme than for most months in the last six years. Sixteen of the long-term stations observed or tied their warmest annual mean temperature on record, including Miami, FL (18952020; 79.3 degrees F, 26.3 degrees C), Tampa, FL (18902020; 76.3 degrees F, 24.6 degrees C), Savannah, GA (18742020; 70.4 degrees F, 21.3 degrees C), Cape Hatteras, NC (18932020; 66.8 degrees F, 19.3 degrees C), and Norfolk, VA (18742020; 64.0 degrees F, 17.8 degrees C). Soybean yields set records in both Indiana and Kentucky. Cordova had its 4th driest year dating back to 1910 with 64.02 in (1626.11 mm, 71% of normal) and Kenai also saw its 4th driest year since records began in 1900 at 11.72 in (297.69 mm, 64% of normal). Indiana was barely below normal (-0.04 inches or -1 mm), while Minnesota (-3.75 inches or -95 mm) and Iowa (-5.84 inches or -148 mm) were well below normal. This switch from wet to dry was so pronounced that some locations went from having a top 10 wettest year in 2019 to a top 10 driest year in 2020. Baker City, in northeast Oregon, saw its warmest year on record going back to 1944 with an annual average temperature 48.3 F (9.1 C), 3.9 F (2.2 C) above normal. This is a mere 0.12C above the 1991-2020 reference period, making it a decidedly "average" year in comparison to the climate of the recent past. The Rio Grande and Great Basin were both at 91% of normal, the Pacific Northwest and Upper Colorado both at 107% of normal, and the Lower Colorado at 108% of normal. This July was the all-time hottest month on record for Scranton and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Buffalo, Syracuse, and LaGuardia Airport, New York; Burlington, Vermont; Baltimore, Maryland; Portland, Maine; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Elkins, West Virginia; and Dulles Airport, Virginia. Just a week later, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, a storm system dropped as much as 6 inches (152 mm) of rain on the region, with several locations having one of their 10 wettest December days on record. Much of New England experienced the emergence of drought during the second half of 2020 with marked improvement by the end of the year. During June, abnormal dryness expanded to include parts of every state except New Jersey and moderate drought was introduced in parts of New England and New York. Portions of New England were designated as natural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making some farmers eligible for federal assistance. Overall, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year the region experienced a slight decrease in the total area of at least abnormally dry conditions. Later in the season, a lack of snow cover across the Plains and low snowpack in the central Rockies also impacted skiing and snowmobiling activities. This years snow season (2020-2021) kicked off with several early snowfalls, starting in September. North Carolina had its second-wettest year on record during 2020 and Virginia was third wettest. Caribou, Maine, received only 0.88 inches (22.35 mm) of precipitation during June, tying as the driest June on record. Due to reduced yields, farmers bought hay to feed livestock, but there were hay shortages and increased prices, with a Vermont farmer spending as much as $20,000 on feed. Severe drought was introduced in Maine and New York, while moderate drought expanded and abnormal dryness encompassed nearly half the region. In Alaska, annual temperatures were above normal along the North Slope, in western coastal Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands. A stream gauge near Colesville, Maryland, rose eight feet (2.4 m) in around an hour. Prolonged saturated soil caused some farmers to abandon portions of their soybean and cotton fields. Most of the drought is focused on the central islands of Molokai, Maui, Kahoolawe, and Lanai with severe and extreme drought present. Flash flooding was reported from Delaware to New York, resulting in road closures and water rescues. Southern parts of the region experienced severe weather from April 7 to 9. The persistence of nighttime warmth was exceptional for many locations across the region, particularly in Florida. Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., saw less than an inch of snow for the season for only the third time since 1885. Warm extremes in both maximum and minimum temperature across much of the U.S. in addition to wet conditions across the Southeast and dry conditions in the West contributed to this elevated USCEI value. Low streamflow and warm water temperatures prompted several states to take actions to protect aquatic species. During the spring, wet conditions across portions of the Southeast disrupted the application of herbicides, fertilizers, and nutrients to fields. Hundreds of roads were flooded across these states, including the closure of I-95 near Wilson, NC. Many extremely large fires with rapid spread rates occurred this year with California, Oregon, and Colorado all having set records for the largest fires in the states history. Alaska experienced its coldest first two months of the year in 2020 and coldest winter (December 2019 - February 2020) since 1999. Several other locations had one of the five snowiest Octobers on record. During summer and fall, groundwater levels were also well below normal in many drought areas. In the beginning of the year, roughly a third of the Southern Region was experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions. One of the wetter locations was northern Washington, west of the Cascades. The wettest locations were found across much of Virginia, the Carolinas, Alabama, northern and central Georgia, the western half of the Florida Panhandle, southeastern Florida, and Puerto Rico. The anomalies themselves represent departures from the 20 th century average temperature. In fact, by the end of September, all of Rhode Island was in an extreme drought for the first time in the U.S. Drought Monitors history (since 2000). The U.S. Drought Monitor released on August 27 showed 37 percent of the Northeast in a severe or moderate drought and 23 percent as abnormally dry. From May 19th through the 21st, a slow-moving upper-level low ushered in a deep stream of moisture across the western Carolinas and southwestern Virginia, with 72-hour precipitation totals exceeding 8 inches (203 mm) and numerous reports of localized flooding. Numerous fallen trees, mudslides, and river flooding were reported in southwestern Puerto Rico, according to local emergency management officials. Preliminary estimates indicated millions of dollars in damage from flooding along the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These fires burned thousands of acres of forest and rangeland, caused evacuations, closed roads, and impacted air quality. Between 3 and 6 inches (76 to 152 mm) of rain fell in a two-hour period at rainfall rates of 3 or more inches (76 mm) per hour. Of this 24-hour precipitation total, Key West observed 3.95 inches (100 mm) in a single hour, which is its second highest hourly rain rate ever recorded. Heavy rainfall during early December saturated vegetable fields in southern Florida, resulting in crop losses, increased disease pressure on lettuce and beans, and bloom dropping in pepper and tomato plants. cherry blossom music festival richmond va 1974,