One of the most intense heat waves in U.S. history has enveloped portions of the western plains and Midwest. All-time heat records have fallen at a number of significant weather stations. And it is still just June. Is this a prelude for the coming summer or just a flash in the pan? NOTE: This is Part 1 of two blogs, Part 2 will focus on the heat wave in the eastern third of the country and will be posted on Sunday, July 1st).
weatherhistorian, • 8:17 PM GMT on June 29, 2012
June normally marks the beginning of the monsoon season in America’s Southwest and some areas may expect to see almost daily afternoon thunderstorms develop between now and September. These storms are the principle contributor to wild fires during the summer months in the western U.S. Here’s a summary of some of the ‘stormiest’ places in the country and world.
weatherhistorian, • 9:13 PM GMT on June 21, 2012
June normally marks the beginning of the monsoon season in America’s Southwest and some areas may expect to see almost daily afternoon thunderstorms develop between now and September. These storms are the principle contributor to wild fires during the summer months in the western U.S. Here’s a summary of some of the ‘stormiest’ places in the country and world.
weatherhistorian, • 9:13 PM GMT on June 21, 2012
May was notable weather-wise for more spring heat records in the U.S.A. and much of Europe. National heat records (for warmest May temperature on record) occurred in Scotland, Greenland, France, and came close to such in Norway and Spain. Globally it was the 2nd warmest May on record (combined land and ocean) and the warmest May on record for the northern hemisphere. Deadly flash floods struck portions of Nepal, China, Afghanistan and the Amazon River reached its highest level on record at Manaus, Brazil. A late season snowfall shocked the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia.
weatherhistorian, • 6:19 PM GMT on June 14, 2012
Jeff Masters and I recently received an interesting email from Ken Towe who has been researching the NCDC historical temperature database and came across what appeared to be some startling inconsistencies. Namely that the average state temperature records used in the current trends analysis by the NCDC (National Climate Data Center) do not reflect the actual published records of such as they appeared in the Monthly Weather Reviews and Climatological Data Summaries of years past. Here is why.
weatherhistorian, • 6:46 PM GMT on June 06, 2012