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National Overview - October 2004

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Maps and Graphics:

October	Most Recent 3 Months	Most Recent 6 Months
Most Recent 12 Months	Annual summary for 2003	US Percent Area Very Wet/Dry/Warm/Cold

It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks and values are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed, but will not be replaced on these pages. Graphics based on final data are available on this page: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/maps.php

For graphics covering periods other than those mentioned above or for tables of national, regional, and statewide data from 1895-present, for October, last 3 months or other periods, please go to the Climate At A Glance page visual page separator

National Overview:

October:
October temperatures were much above average in the South with warmer than average temperatures also extending into the Midwest and Northwest. The Southwest was near average as was the southern Great Lakes region and Ohio Valley. For information on temperature records during the month, please go to NCDC's Extremes page, to be updated shortly.
The precipitation signal was mixed across the nation with the Mississippi Valley and Far West having much above average precipitation and the east coast having dry conditions for the month. For more information on drought during October, please visit the U.S. Drought page, available on November 16th.
Indices used to determine the state of ENSO suggest that the Equatorial Pacific was in a weak warm phase (El Nino), with Sea Surface Temperatures continuing above normal across the central equatorial Pacific during October. To see the latest NOAA advisory and typical impacts of a La Nina or El Nino episode for the U.S., go to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

For additional details, see the Monthly Highlights section. For details and graphics on weather events across the U.S. and the globe go to NCDC's Global Hazards page, available on the 16th.

Monthly and Seasonal Highlights:

National:
October 2004 ranked as the 16th warmest October in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 56.3°F (13.5°C), which was 1.5°F (0.8°C) above the long-term mean.
October 2004 had above average precipitation, nationally, ranking 8th wettest.

For tables of national, regional, and statewide data from 1895-present, for October, last 3 months or other periods, please go to the Climate At A Glance page.
August-October temperature was below average and ranked as the 38th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature for August-October was 64.6°F (18.1°C) which was 0.2°F (0.1°C) above the long-term mean.
August-October had above average precipitation, ranking 6th wettest in the last 110 years.
The November 2003-October 2004 temperature was above average and ranked as the 23rd warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 53.4°F (11.9°C) which was 0.6°F (0.3°C) above the long-term mean.
Precipitation was above average for November-October, ranking 14th wettest for the last 12 months based on a record of 109 such periods.

Regional and Statewide:
October 2004 temperatures ranked much above average for 7 southern states, including Louisiana, which had its 3rd warmest October on record. A further 18 states in the contiguous U.S. had above average temperature.
Alaska temperatures were warmer than average for October and the anomaly will be available on November 16th
October was much wetter than average for 11 states, including Nevada, which had its wettest October on record.
The 3 month period, August-October, was cooler than average for 2 states and much warmer than average for Louisiana. A further 21 states were warmer than average for August-October 2004.
August-October 2004 was wetter than average for much of the country, with 13 states having a much wetter-than-average 3 months. Only Michigan was significantly drier than average.
The last 12 months were warmer than average for much of the nation. Only 11 states in the contiguous U.S. were near average for temperature and no state was significantly cooler than average over the last 12 months.
The last 12 months were record wet for Pennsylvania, with West Virginia having its 3rd wettest November-October. Drier than average conditions existed in Montana, Wyoming and Maine.
See NCDC's Monthly Extremes web-page for weather and climate records for the month of October, to be updated shortly.

It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks and values are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed, but will not be replaced on these pages. Graphics based on final data are available on this page: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/maps.php

Citing This Report

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: National Overview for October 2004, published online November 2004, retrieved on May 25, 2013 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/2004/10.