Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

U.S. experiences warmest 12-month period on record
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 08 05, 2012 18:09 GMT +42
The past twelve months were the warmest twelve months in U.S. history, said NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) on Tuesday, in their monthly "State of the Climate" report. Temperatures in the contiguous U.S. during May 2011 - April 2012 broke the previous record for warmest 12-month period, set November 1999 - October 2000, by 0.1°F. The past twelve months have featured America's 2nd warmest summer, 4th warmest winter, and warmest March on record. Twenty-two states were record warm for the 12-month period, and an additional nineteen states were top ten warm. NOAA said that the January - April 2012 period was also the warmest January - April period since record keeping began in 1895. The average temperature of 45.4°F during January - April 2012 was 5.4°F above the 20th century average for the period, and smashed the previous record set in 2006 by an unusually large margin--1.6°F.


Figure 1. The ten warmest 12-month periods in the contiguous U.S. since record keeping began in 1895. Image credit: NOAA/NCDC.


Figure 2. The average temperature of 45.4°F during January - April 2012 was the warmest on record: 5.4°F above the 20th century average for the period, and was 1.6°F above the previous record set in 2006. January - April temperatures have been rising at about 1.9°F per century since 1895. Image credit: NOAA/NCDC.

April 2012: 3rd warmest on record
April 2012 was the third warmest April in the contiguous U.S. since record keeping began in 1895. Ten states had a top-ten warmest April, and no states were cooler than average. But what's really remarkable about April was that eight states--Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia--had average April temperatures cooler than their March temperatures, even though their April temperatures were still above the long-term average for the month. These statistics show just how remarkably warm March 2012 was. Most extreme was Illinois, where April 2012 temperatures ranked in the top 20% for warmest Aprils, yet were cooler than March 2012 temperatures.


Figure 3. Temperature rankings for April 2012 in the Contiguous U.S. Ten states had a top-ten warmest April, and no states were cooler than average. Image credit: NOAA/NCDC.


Figure 4. NOAA's U.S. Climate Extremes Index (CEI) for January - April shows that 2012 had the most extreme weather on record.

Most extreme January - April on record
NOAA's U.S. Climate Extremes Index (CEI), an index that tracks the highest 10 percent and lowest 10 percent of extremes in temperature, precipitation, and drought, was 42% during the January-April period, over twice the average value, and the greatest on record. Remarkably, 82% of the contiguous U.S. had maximum temperatures that were in the warmest 10% historically, and 68% had warm minimum temperatures in the top 10%, with records going back to 1910. The previous records were 56% (2000) and 57% (1992) for maximum and minimum temperatures, respectively. The percentage area of the U.S. experiencing top-10% drought conditions during January - April was 19%, which was the 17th greatest since 1910. Extremes in precipitation as computed by the CEI were near average for the January - April period.

Jeff Masters
Categories: Climate Summaries
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1101. dogsgomoo 10 05, 2012 16:39 GMT    
Quoting oddspeed:Global trends in tropical cyclone risk

Interesting. If you look closely at Hispaniola you can pretty much see the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic colored by mortality risk. Same thing with Bangladesh and India. Orange/Red next to Yellow/orange or even green/yellow. Quite a sharp demarcation.

Goes to show that the strength/frequency of cyclonic storms is only one part of the equation when it comes to how much damage and death occurs.

On the flip side, Tokyo Metropolitan Area seems to be clearly defined as well in reds and oranges versus the rest of Japan.
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1102. sunlinepr 10 05, 2012 16:39 GMT    

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1103. hydrus 10 05, 2012 16:41 GMT    
GOES Imager Cloud Top Pressure
May 10, 2012 - 14:45 UTC
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1104. Neapolitan 10 05, 2012 16:43 GMT    
There's yet another big heat wave affecting western and southern Europe today, with record highs being broken all across Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere in the region. (Example: Santander, Spain, reached 92 today, 27 degrees above normal.) The heat is expected to relent tomorrow, with temperatures forecast to only rise to "above normal" instead of "bizarrely above normal".

hot

Speaking of European weather, the BBC had a special one-time-only guest met today:

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1105. SteveDa1 10 05, 2012 16:43 GMT    
Quoting jeffs713:

Don't confuse them with facts and logic. They will just claim its a global conspiracy theory by scientists who just want more grant money because that grant money is why these scientists drive normal everyday cars (or use mass transit).

Much better to make them think a bit, and try to apply logic to their biased perspective.


I find the psychology of conspiracy theorists fascinating... An overwhelming need to forge their own paths and believe in something others don't, perhaps? To believe in something so extraordinary that if it were true, it would shake the world. Or some form of paranoid mentality? When you are paranoid you only need tiny bits of information to make huge conclusions which in turn feeds this paranoia. Or just huge attention-seekers... By believing in these conspiracies they surely get a lot of attention from others.

Anyway, without an education I can only assume, but this is a field I'm heading into in the coming years. :)
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1106. nigel20 10 05, 2012 16:44 GMT    
Quoting wunderkidcayman:

but the GOM skyrockets wow

What's up wunderkid...how's the recovery in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac following Paloma 2008?
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1107. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 16:45 GMT    
hmm interesting so far the 12Z gfs has it stationary just N of honduras the let it drift NNE to W tip of cuba entering the GOM as a 998 mb storm
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1108. StormTracker2K 10 05, 2012 16:45 GMT    
Man the Tampa Shields!

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1109. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 16:47 GMT    
looks like aiming for Fl W coast
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1110. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 16:51 GMT    
looking at the past run up intil now the mean track takes it NE to caymans then to W-central cuba then NW bahamas the out so I'l wait for the next couple of run to see if GOM/Fl storm plays out in the next few runs
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1111. sunlinepr 10 05, 2012 16:53 GMT    
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1112. bohonkweatherman 10 05, 2012 16:55 GMT    
Quoting ILwthrfan:
(bohonkweatherman)  should be getting his very solid rains this afternoon and evening.  I don't see how it's going to miss him. 


This should give him a solid 1-2 inches today and tonight and its going to be spread out over decent time period.  Just what the Doc ordered for south TX.  

Raining here over 2 hours and so far .05, there are scattered heavy thunderstorms embedded in these areas of most very light rain so far but they have to come right over your house, I have received 1.45 in May so far after getting a trace since March 20th. We can handle several inches of rain if not more because once you go down in the soil it is pretty darn dry according to farmers which a majority of my cousins are.
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1113. BobWallace 10 05, 2012 16:57 GMT    
Quoting RitaEvac:


HEAT ISLANDS!


Come on, you've been exposed to far too much information about the numerous ways global temperatures are measured to fall for that line of bull.

'Heat islands' was an interesting idea that's been researched and disproved.

You've got to know that.
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1114. RTSplayer 10 05, 2012 16:58 GMT    
June SST for the western and northern Gulf, but on the 10th of May.
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1115. WoodyFL 10 05, 2012 16:58 GMT    
Quoting Neapolitan:
There's yet another big heat wave affecting western and southern Europe today, with record highs being broken all across Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere in the region. (Example: Santander, Spain, reached 92 today, 27 degrees above normal.) The heat is expected to relent tomorrow, with temperatures forecast to only rise to "above normal" instead of "bizarrely above normal".

hot

Speaking of European weather, the BBC had a special one-time-only guest met today:



That guy doing the weather report sounds just like to Grothar.
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1116. MRCYCLOGENESIS 10 05, 2012 16:58 GMT    
Quoting StormTracker2K:
Man the Tampa Shields!




Very interesting indeed!
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1117. KEEPEROFTHEGATE (Mod) 10 05, 2012 17:01 GMT    
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1118. KEEPEROFTHEGATE (Mod) 10 05, 2012 17:01 GMT    
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1119. Grothar 10 05, 2012 17:02 GMT    
This sure changed from last night.


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1120. BobWallace 10 05, 2012 17:02 GMT    
Quoting SteveDa1:


Warmer lower atmospheric temperatures and colder stratospheric temperatures prove this beyond any reasonable doubt. I am now wondering if all of the deniers are actually trolls... There is no reason to deny facts except for wanting attention.


I suspect it to be political more than anything else.

If you belong to the 'team of the right' then you must support your team, declare that you've got the best quarterback ever even when the guy can't throw more than 20 yards.

To be a good team member you've got to deny climate change and, in general, say stupid things because that's your self-assigned role.

Facts presented by the other side must be dismissed and ignored. That's how the game is played.
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1121. Grothar 10 05, 2012 17:06 GMT    
Quoting jeffs713:

Show me a heat island in the middle of the ocean, and I'm the easter bunny.


Break out those eggs! How you doing, Jeffs?

Image of the Sargasso Sea thermal conditions.

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1122. CybrTeddy 10 05, 2012 17:07 GMT    
Quoting StormTracker2K:
Man the Tampa Shields!



Our shields cannot withstand model-cast of that magnitude!


But in all seriousness, this could very well happen, while probably not the strength/track, at least not exact, it's a classic mid-late May setup for our first named storm of the season. The formation appears to be monsoonal in nature, and that energy will be building up soon in the Western Caribbean, similar to the first named storms of the last two seasons.
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1123. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 17:10 GMT    
also just a quck note the noaa's FIM model is also on board with W carib storm
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1124. ncstorm 10 05, 2012 17:11 GMT    
Quoting StormTracker2K:
Man the Tampa Shields!



this will be going to texas on a future run..watch!
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1125. Grothar 10 05, 2012 17:11 GMT    
The Great Eel Migration
Written by Mandy Calkins
Monday, 01 December 2008
Think of nature’s great migrations and you might imagine birds flying over continents or antelope crossing the African plains. But European eels make a journey that is even more incredible.

European eels are catadromous fish, which means they are born in the ocean and live as adults in fresh or brackish water. They hatch in the Sargasso Sea, a warm-water area of the North Atlantic Ocean, and begin their life cycle as flat, ribbon-like larvae called leptocephali. The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift currents carry these larvae from their birthplace to coasts from Iceland to Europe and North Africa.
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1126. nigel20 10 05, 2012 17:15 GMT    
Quoting Grothar:
This sure changed from last night.




It's now gulf bound
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1127. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 17:15 GMT    
so the very start of this system starts on the 17th at 15Z and it goes down hill from that
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1128. stoormfury 10 05, 2012 17:15 GMT    
The GFS continues to hint of tropical development in the western caribbean bythe 20th may. so far it seems that the ingredients are coming together. the area is near the nicaragua/honduras border. there is good 500mb. 700mb. and 850mb vorticity. there is also good levels of convergence and divergence. the sst in the area is warm enough to sustain cyclogenesis. should this form into a tropical system the steering current will take it towards the caymans and then over western cuba. we will have to wait and see how this pans out,as there is the possibility of something forminf in the western caribbean the next few days.
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1129. RitaEvac 10 05, 2012 17:16 GMT    
Quoting jeffs713:

Show me a heat island in the middle of the ocean, and I'm the easter bunny.


Atlantis
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1130. hydrus 10 05, 2012 17:17 GMT    
GFS shows a lot of precip in the Western Caribbean at 192 hours out. I am still waiting on the 240.
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1131. nigel20 10 05, 2012 17:18 GMT    
Quoting KEEPEROFTHEGATE:

The atlantic is warming quite steadily
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1132. jeffs713 10 05, 2012 17:18 GMT    
Quoting Grothar:


Break out those eggs! How you doing, Jeffs?

Image of the Sargasso Sea thermal conditions.


Now I have to find a bunny suit. Dangit.

I'm doing more or less OK. Class (full-time nursing school) starts up again next week, and I'm still working full time. As long as I'm still above ground and breathing, I'm good.
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1133. RitaEvac 10 05, 2012 17:20 GMT    
Quoting bohonkweatherman:
Raining here over 2 hours and so far .05, there are scattered heavy thunderstorms embedded in these areas of most very light rain so far but they have to come right over your house, I have received 1.45 in May so far after getting a trace since March 20th. We can handle several inches of rain if not more because once you go down in the soil it is pretty darn dry according to farmers which a majority of my cousins are.


You have much more to go, get ready
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1134. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 17:22 GMT    
Quoting nigel20:

What's up wunderkid...how's the recovery in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac following Paloma 2008?

hey yeah i'm good
recovery well I haven't heard anything for a long time about it
Quoting nigel20:


It's now gulf bound

some how I don't think that it will really be gulf bound for the past I don't know how may runs it has been ever so consistent with tracking it from Hon/Nic coast moves N turns NE to the Caymans then to W-Central Cuba the NW Bahamas
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1135. hydrus 10 05, 2012 17:23 GMT    
GFS is definitely interesting to look at..
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1136. RitaEvac 10 05, 2012 17:24 GMT    
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1137. KEEPEROFTHEGATE (Mod) 10 05, 2012 17:25 GMT    
Quoting nigel20:

The atlantic is warming quite steadily
warming faster than expected
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1138. OrchidGrower 10 05, 2012 17:27 GMT    
re: #1108, apparently we have some FEROCIOUS shower curtains deployed here in SW Florida. I wouldn't wager too much money on that GFS scenario playing out as depicted ....

On the other hand, it actually RAINED here last night!!!! (Hey, it was for less than 10 minutes, but after the last six months' weather, that was GREAT!!)
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1139. nigel20 10 05, 2012 17:29 GMT    
Quoting wunderkidcayman:

hey yeah i'm good
recovery well I haven't heard anything for a long time about it

some how I don't think that it will really be gulf bound for the past I don't know how may runs it has been ever so consistent with tracking it from Hon/Nic coast moves N turns NE to the Caymans then to W-Central Cuba the NW Bahamas

You could be right, but lets see if the forecast pans out
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1140. presslord 10 05, 2012 17:32 GMT    
Quoting hydrus:
GFS is definitely interesting to look at..


in the same way water boarding can be said to be 'interesting'
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1141. CaicosRetiredSailor 10 05, 2012 17:46 GMT    

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1142. StormTracker2K 10 05, 2012 17:46 GMT    
Looks like this tropical energy in the Caribbean will merge with this upper level energy that's over TX now late next week and start moving north toward FL. This could very well pan out.

This is day 10 and you can see what appears to be a cut off low developing.


As a result of the cut off that tropical moisture (maybe Alberto) comes north into the eastern Gulf.
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1143. WxGeekVA 10 05, 2012 17:52 GMT    
OMG FLORIDA STORM ON THE LONG RANGE!!!

RAISE THE DOOM CON!!!
BUY PLYWOOD, MILK, BREAD, AND WATER!!!
RESTOCK FRESCA!!!
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS!!!

SARCASM FLAG: ON
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1144. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 17:55 GMT    
as I said this is the first time for this forecasted system to move gulf bound wait for the next few runs to really determine if gfs has really changed to gom bound
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1145. GeorgiaStormz 10 05, 2012 17:57 GMT    
i see 60k foot tops on the TX storms.
Nice.

Might also be a debris ball:
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1146. LargoFl 10 05, 2012 17:58 GMT    
Quoting StormTracker2K:
Man the Tampa Shields!

Would be wonderful if it just sat out there, dumping its rain on us for a few days
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1147. StormTracker2K 10 05, 2012 17:58 GMT    
Quoting wunderkidcayman:
as I said this is the first time for this forecasted system to move gulf bound wait for the next few runs to really determine if gfs has really changed to gom bound


It's actually not the first time. One run yesterday had it going across S FL. I agree though expect lots of fluctuations over the coming days and heck this may never turn out. It could just be tropical rains streaming north toward the gulf and merge with this ULL over the C or E Gulf.
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1148. wunderkidcayman 10 05, 2012 17:59 GMT    
from 12Z twd carib section

HIGH MOISTURE
VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE ERN CARIBBEAN AND
GRADUALLY SHIFT WWD OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

this is what will help the gfs system to to come to reallity
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1149. LargoFl 10 05, 2012 17:59 GMT    
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1150. unf97 10 05, 2012 18:00 GMT    
StormTracker2k (post 1142), this is exactly the set-up we need up here in north Florida to put a major dent in the severe drought conditions in this region. All I want is for a TD or weak TS to scome into the Eastern GOM and move slow to bring some relief to the parched areas of the peninsula.

This is still 10-12 days out, so I won't get too hyped about these model runs yet. But, if some consistency with the model runs continue over the next 5 days or so, then my interest will start to get brewing for sure.
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1151. DDR 10 05, 2012 18:01 GMT    
Good afternoon
This is probably the wettest May on record in Trinidad,i have recorded over 10 inches of rain in the past 10 days.Just imagine the monthly average is just 4 inches.
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About JeffMasters
Jeff co-founded the Weather Underground in 1995 while working on his Ph.D. He flew with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990.

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