National Fall Season Precipitation - September-November 2002

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The graph to the left is a time series depicting precipitation averaged across the contiguous U.S. Based upon preliminary precipitation data, September-November 2002 was wetter than average, ranking 24th wettest in the last 108 years. This belies considerable regional variability as can be seen from the maps below.

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Record high autumn precipitation occurred in Louisiana in 2002. Nine other states in the East also received much above average precipitation with Mississippi and West Virginia having their second wettest fall on record. The Northwest US however, received much below average precipitation leading to a rank within the top ten driest falls for Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

November Precipitation

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The graph to the left is a time series depicting precipitation averaged across the contiguous U.S. Based upon preliminary precipitation data, November 2002 was 0.25 inches drier that average, ranking 31st driest.

Statewide precipitation for November was much below average in 8 states, while only Virginia had much above average precipitation for the month. Significant drought improvement occurred in the southwest quarter of the country while rainfall deficits were severe in the northern Great Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley. Several divisions in Iowa and Illinois had their record driest November. East of the Appalachian Mountain Range, most divisions received above or much above average precipitation, as did most Gulf State climate divisions.

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Precipitation Departures

The map to the right, based on more than 500 airport stations, shows November 2002 total precipitation as a percent of the 1971-2000 station normals. Above normal precipitation generally occurred along the east coast and in southern California. However, dryness extended across most of the Midwest and northern Great Plains where as little as 10% of normal rainfall was recorded in some locations. Widespread dryness was also in evidence in the Pacific Northwest in November.

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Questions?

For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:

Climate Services Division NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4876 phone: 828-271-4800 email: questions@ncdc.noaa.gov

For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:

Catherine Godfrey NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4328 email: Catherine.S.Godfrey@noaa.gov

Jay Lawrimore NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4328 email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov

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