The global mean temperature for March through May,
1999, was well above the long-term average, based on preliminary
data. Yet, this 3-month global mean temperature was considerably
cooler than the record warmth experienced in March through May of
1998, largely due to cooler sea surface temperatures this year. See
the Global Analysis for more details.
Based on the long-term mean (1880-1998), the March through May,
1999, land and ocean temperature was 0.8 C above average; 0.3 C
less than the record global temperature recorded in 1998.
| Based on preliminary
data, precipitation on the global land surface was also above
average during the period March through May. Based on the 1900 to
1998 long-term mean, global precipitation was over 7 mm above
average. See the Global Analysis and
Global Regional Analysis pages
for more details on the global climate. |
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For the three-month
period March through May, 1999, the mean temperature for the
contiguous U.S. was nearly 0.6 F above the long-term average, based
upon preliminary data. The bars in this graph are departures from
the 1895-1998 mean. The curved line is a nine-point binomial filter
which shows the decadal-scale variations. |
| Average total
precipitation for the contiguous U.S. for the period March through
May, 1999, was more than 0.5 inches below the long-term average,
based on preliminary data. The bars in this graph are departures
from the 1895-1998 mean. The curved line is a nine-point binomial
filter which shows the decadal-scale variations. See the U.S. National Analysis and U.S. Regional / Statewide Analyses pages for
more details on the U.S. climate. |
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 Extreme Events
Extreme climatic events during the period March through
May included: floods and landslides in Europe in March; floods in
the Phillipines, Columbia and Venezuela in April; snowstorms in the
U.S.; persistent, severe, or developing drought in many areas of
the globe.
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