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Through climate analysis, National Climatic Data Center scientists have identified nine climatically consistent regions within the contiguous United States which are useful for putting current climate anomalies into an historical perspective.
Additional information about current climate anomalies can be found at the respective Web Pages of the Southern Regional Climate Center, Western Regional Climate Center, Midwest Regional Climate Center, Southeast Regional Climate Center, High Plains Regional Climate Center, and the Northeast Regional Climate Center.
Table 1 shows precipitation and temperature ranks for each of the 9 regions and the nation for February 2000, the two-month period of January-February 2000, the six months of September 1999-February 2000, and the past 12 months, March 1999-February 2000.
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE RANKS, BASED
ON THE PERIOD 1895-2000. 1 = DRIEST/COLDEST,
106 = WETTEST/WARMEST FOR FEBRUARY 2000,
106 = WETTEST/WARMEST FOR JAN-FEB 2000,
105 = WETTEST/WARMEST FOR SEP 1999-FEB 2000,
105 = WETTEST/WARMEST FOR MAR 1999-FEB 2000.
FEB JAN-FEB SEP 1999- MAR 1999-
REGION 2000 2000 FEB 2000 FEB 2000
------ ---- --------- --------- ---------
PRECIPITATION:
NORTHEAST 56 51 95 47
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 71 42 8 101
CENTRAL 78 45 15 8
SOUTHEAST 6 14 46 15
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 106 106 49 79
SOUTH 16 7 3 16
SOUTHWEST 62 47 6 72
NORTHWEST 66 71 48 43
WEST 96 90 46 42
NATIONAL 53 37 11 23
TEMPERATURE:
NORTHEAST 90 81 95 101
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 100 101 101 103
CENTRAL 101 97 102 96
SOUTHEAST 83 69 71 67
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 93 102 105 104
SOUTH 102 106 102 99
SOUTHWEST 102 104 104 102
NORTHWEST 90 94 101 85
WEST 88 104 104 87
NATIONAL 104 106 104 103
It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks in Tables 1 through 3 are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed.
Table 2 shows historical extremes for February, the 1961-1990 normal, and the February 2000 value for each of the 9 regions and the contiguous U.S. for precipitation and temperature. It should be noted that the 2000 values will change when the final data are processed.
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
DRIEST WETTEST NORMAL 2000
REGION VALUE YEAR VALUE YEAR PCPN PCPN
------ ---------- ---------- ------ ------
NORTHEAST 0.70 1987 5.43 1900 2.65 2.63
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 0.31 1987 2.40 1922 0.95 1.14
CENTRAL 0.67 1947 5.46 1909 2.64 3.18
SOUTHEAST 1.36 1898 7.45 1998 4.15 1.68
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 0.30 1985 1.16 2000 0.55 1.16
SOUTH 0.66 1916 5.63 1903 2.30 1.33
SOUTHWEST 0.14 1972 2.07 1980 0.80 0.88
NORTHWEST 0.69 1920 5.95 1904 2.86 3.32
WEST 0.21 1964 7.57 1998 2.27 4.74
NATIONAL 0.96 1947 3.20 1998 1.98 1.99*
* PRELIMINARY VALUE, CONFIDENCE
INTERVAL + OR - 0.15 INCHES
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
COLDEST WARMEST NORMAL 2000
REGION VALUE YEAR VALUE YEAR TEMP TEMP
------ ---------- ---------- ------ ------
NORTHEAST 11.6 1934 31.8 1998 23.3 27.5
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 1.1 1936 31.6 1998 17.6 26.9
CENTRAL 20.6 1978 41.8 1930 32.2 40.8
SOUTHEAST 37.8 1895 56.4 1927 47.1 51.1
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 2.7 1936 34.5 1954 22.2 28.5
SOUTH 33.7 1905 53.5 1930 45.2 53.1
SOUTHWEST 25.1 1903 42.8 1995 35.9 40.9
NORTHWEST 23.3 1933 39.7 1963 33.5 36.5
WEST 32.6 1903 48.8 1963 42.7 45.3
NATIONAL 26.3 1899 42.1 1954 34.3 40.3*
* PRELIMINARY VALUE, CONFIDENCE
INTERVAL + OR - 0.3 DEG. F.
Table 3 shows statistics for selected river basins: Precipitation rankings are for October 1999-February 2000, where 1 = driest, and 106 = wettest, based on the period 1895 to 2000. Also shown is the areal percent of the basin experiencing severe or extreme long-term (Palmer) drought, and areal percent of the basin experiencing severe or extreme long-term (Palmer) wet conditions, as of February 2000.
PRECIPITATION % AREA % AREA
RIVER BASIN RANK DRY WET
----------- ------------- ------ ------
MISSOURI BASIN 22 0.0% 19.3%
PACIFIC NORTHWEST BASIN 64 0.0% 1.8%
CALIFORNIA RIVER BASIN 52 37.6% 0.0%
GREAT BASIN 36 0.8% 0.0%
UPPER COLORADO BASIN 11 0.0% 0.0%
LOWER COLORADO BASIN 2 89.3% 0.0%
RIO GRANDE BASIN 4 58.0% 3.9%
ARKANSAS-WHITE-RED BASIN 24 1.8% 3.7%
TEXAS GULF COAST BASIN 7 100.0% 0.0%
SOURIS-RED-RAINY BASIN 1 0.0% 23.0%
UPPER MISSISSIPPI BASIN 9 10.4% 0.0%
LOWER MISSISSIPPI BASIN 3 77.4% 0.0%
GREAT LAKES BASIN 17 18.9% 0.0%
OHIO RIVER BASIN 31 42.9% 0.0%
TENNESSEE RIVER BASIN 7 39.6% 0.0%
NEW ENGLAND BASIN 45 0.0% 7.7%
MID-ATLANTIC BASIN 26 0.0% 0.0%
SOUTH ATLANTIC-GULF BASIN 14 15.9% 0.0%
The river basin regions are defined by the U.S. Water Resources Council.
February 2000 Temperature and Precipitation
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Forty-six states ranked within the warm-third portion of the historical distribution for February 2000 while twenty states ranked within the top ten warm. It was the warmest February on record for Texas. Other rankings include:
- Illinois - 4th warmest
- Missouri - 4th warmest
- New Mexico - 4th warmest
- Oklahoma - 4th warmest
- Arkansas - 5th warmest
No state ranked within the cool-third of the historical distribution.
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| It was the driest February on record for Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, the seventh driest February since 1895 for Florida, and the eighth driest February on record for Georgia. Thirteen other states ranked within the dry-third portion of the distribution.
It was the wettest February on record for Wyoming and Montana, and the sixth wettest February since 1895 for Nevada and Utah. Fifteen other states ranked within the wet-third portion of the distribution.
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| Preliminary February precipitation data for the Primary Hard Red Winter Wheat Belt indicate that the five-month growing season (The growing season runs October-February.) ended on a dry note. The October 1999-February 2000 period was the 23rd driest such growing season since 1895. The region had the wettest such period on record just last year.
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Palmer Drought Indices
The Palmer Z Index shows how monthly moisture conditions depart from normal (short-term drought and wetness). The February 2000 pattern shows extremely dry conditions over portions of the Southwest and from east Texas eastward through all of Louisiana, the southern two-thirds of Mississippi and Alabama, as well as portions of central and northern Georgia. The Palmer Z Index indicates that wet conditions occurred along portions of the Pacific Coast, and in parts of the northern and central Rockies.
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The animated maps show the geographical pattern of the moisture anomalies for the last 12 months. On these maps, the red shading denotes dry conditions while the green shading indicates wet conditions.
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The Palmer Drought Index maps show long-term (cumulative) drought and wet spell conditions. The drought in the Midwest continued in February while areal coverage and intensity decreased. Drought conditions in the Southwest expanded during February as did drought conditions in the southern Mississippi Valley. During the preceding twelve months, the area of wet conditions in the Great Plains steadily decreased in size until only a few areas, mainly in South Dakota and Colorado, remained wet at the end of February.
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The animated maps show how the geographical pattern of the long-term moisture conditions has changed over the last 12 months. On these maps, the red shading denotes drought conditions while the green shading indicates wet conditions.
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Preliminary streamflow measurements by the United States Geological Survey can be found at the United States Geological Survey's web page.
South Region and Central Gulf Coast Precipitation Deficits
In the South region (which stretches from Kansas to Texas, then eastward to Mississippi), the present dry spell follows a 12-month period (July 1998-June 1999) that was generally wet (see left graph below). July 1999 - February 2000 ranked as the second driest such eight-month period since 1895, and exceeds the worst years of the 1950's. However, the southern Plains drought of the 1950's was characterized by year-after-year of extremely dry conditions, as seen in the graph below right.
Other statistics for the South region:
- August 1999 - February 2000 = second driest
- September 1999 - February 2000 = third driest
- October 1999 - February 2000 = fourth driest
- November 1999 - February 2000 = fourth driest
- December 1999 - February 2000 = twelfth driest
- January - February 2000 = seventh driest on record.
February 2000 was the 16th driest such month since 1895 for the South Region.
In the Central Gulf Coast States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, the three month period of December 1999 through February 2000 was the second driest such three-month period since 1895 (upper left graph, below). Only the winter of 1981 was drier. Each of these states had the driest February on record while it was the driest winter season on record for Louisiana.
The Palmer Drought Indices for Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are shown above. It can quickly be noted that drought conditions have been much worse than the present and for greater periods of time in Alabama. The Palmer Drought Index for Louisiana indicates that the present drought situation is the fourth worst in the 101-year period of record but longevity is yet to be seen. For Mississippi, the Palmer Drought Index indicates that the present drought situation is the ninth worst in the 101-year period of record but, there again, the longevity remains to be seen.
Current and historical drought information can be found at the Web Page for the National Drought Mitigation Center. The Center monitors current droughts both in the United States and worldwide.
Damage due to the drought has been summarized by NOAA and the Office of Global Programs in the Climatological Impacts section of the Climate Information Project. Crop impact information can be found at the USDA NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) and Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin pages. Drought statements by local National Weather Service Offices can be found at the NWS Hydrologic Information Center. Drought threat assessments and other information can be found at NOAA's Drought Information Center.
For more information, refer to ...References:
Thomas R. Karl and Albert J. Koscielny, 1982: "Drought in the United States: 1895-1981." Journal of Climatology, vol. 2, pp. 313-329.
Thomas R. Karl and Walter James Koss, 1984: "Regional and National Monthly, Seasonal, and Annual Temperature Weighted by Area, 1895-1983." Historical Climatology Series 4-3, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC, 38 pp.
NOAA's National Climatic Data Center is the world's largest active archive of weather data. The preliminary temperature and precipitation rankings are available from the center by calling: 828-271-4800.
Historical precipitation and temperature ranking maps are also available on the Internet at: http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/regional_monitoring/usa.html.
NOAA works closely with the academic and science communities on climate-related research projects to increase the understanding of El Niño and improve forecasting techniques. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center monitors, analyzes and predicts climate events ranging from weeks to seasons for the nation. NOAA also operates the network of data buoys and satellites that provide vital information about the ocean waters, and initiates research projects to improve future climate forecasts. The long lead climate outlooks are available on the Internet at: http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov.
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: ncdc.orders@noaa.gov
For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:
William Brown
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: william.brown@noaa.gov
-or-
Mike Changery
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: mchangry@ncdc.noaa.gov
 NCDC / Climate Research / Climate of 2000 / February / U.S. Regional/Statewide / Search / Help
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http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2000/feb/us_regional.html
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Last Updated Thursday, 07-Jul-2005 11:18:47 EDT by William.Brown@noaa.gov
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