July was warmer than normal across all six states, with Texas experiencing its sixth-warmest July on record. Spring was warmer and wetter than normal for the Southern Region. January (9th) and November (7th) were months that ranked among the top-10 warmest for the region while October ranked as the 13th coolest in history. The global ocean-only temperature departure of 0.58C (1.04F) was the smallest for January since 2014; however, this was also the eighth . The statewide average annual precipitation totals are as follows: Arkansas received 63.43 inches (1611.12 mm), Louisiana received 66.40 inches (1686.56 mm), Mississippi received 68.22 inches (1732.78 mm), Oklahoma received 39.10 inches (993.14 mm), Tennessee received 65.40 inches (1661.16 mm), and Texas received 26.04 inches (661.42 mm). Spring freeze damage was reported in a mid-April freeze despite not being particularly late in the season. Global monthly temperature anomalies, with ENSO status Drought stress also caused leaves to change color and drop earlier than usual in parts of the Northeast. In early May, climate experts at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) issued an updated collection based on the weather occurring from 1991 to 2020.The data set reflects a "new normal" that takes the most recent 30 years of climate change-influenced weather and climate . The global temperature departure for February 2021 was +0.64C (+1.15F) the coolest February since 2014. Rainfall totals were generally less than 3 inches (8 cm), with higher amounts in northern West Virginia, south-central Pennsylvania, and central and southern Maryland. In addition, a 55-mph (25-m/s) wind gust reported at Gainesville Regional Airport, FL was the highest gust observed during the month of December since records began in 1973, breaking the old record of 46 mph (21 m/s) set on December 24, 2014. In addition, it was the first time on record with no measurable snow in both February and March for Bridgeport, Connecticut; Islip and Kennedy Airport, New York; and Allentown and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There were no areas of below-average annual temperatures observed across the Lower 48 during 2020. Roanoke, VA (19122020) reported 8.32 inches (211 mm) of rainfall during this event, which is its fourth wettest 3-day rainfall total for any month on record. The warmth extended northward to the island of Oahu where Honolulu recorded its 3rd warmest year on record at 78.9 F (26.1 C), 1.3 F (0.8 C) above normal. In the HadUK-Grid observational dataset that goes back to 1884, all of the Top 10 warmest years for the UK have occurred since 2002. Texas had the most severe weather reports total (1,520) while Louisiana had the fewest (407). December 2019 was warmer and drier than normal (with the exception of Mississippi and Tennessee, which were slightly wetter than normal), with Oklahoma and Tennessee experiencing their tenth-warmest December on record while Louisiana experienced its eighth-driest December on record. Through the end of summer, most of the Southeast region remained drought-free, except for a few short-lived pockets of moderate drought in portions of northern and coastal Virginia, Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and west-central Florida. The highest snowfall totals of 40 to 44 inches (102 to 112 cm) were reported in central New York, eastern Vermont, and western New Hampshire. June was cooler than normal for every state except Oklahoma and Texas, while precipitation was mixed, as three states (Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) experienced wetter than normal conditions while three states (Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas) experienced drier than normal conditions. There were 8 fatalities attributed to Hurricane Sally, including a 45-year-old female kayaker who had gone missing at the height of the storm. Up to 5 inches (127 mm) of rain fell, with the greatest amounts in northern and eastern Maine. Nome logged its 15th warmest year on record since 1907 at 29.4 F (-1.4 C), 2.1 F (1.2 C) above normal. Numerous roads in the urbanized corridor of southeastern Florida became impassable due to flooding, with many reports of stalled or submerged vehicles. Average daily maximum temperatures were well above average along coastal portions of the region. The strong winds downed trees and wires, knocked out power to more than 86,000 customers in Massachusetts, and caused whiteout conditions in northern Maine. Many extremely large fires with rapid spread rates occurred this year with California, Oregon, and Colorado all having set records for the largest fires in the states history. Miami Temperature History 2022. In addition, there was one fatality in Margate City, New Jersey, due to a rip current. Parts of northwestern Iowa remained in extreme drought as the year came to an end. It was also just the third to make it as far north as Wisconsin. The path taken by the storm system was one of the furthest to the west and north in history. Following the passage of Tropical Storm Eta in November, vegetable crops in southern Florida were severely damaged, with estimated costs ranging from $85 to as much as $320 million. Hurricane Iota was the second-strongest November hurricane on record for the Atlantic and was the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record to occur so late in the calendar year. Flooding led to road closures in portions of Maryland and Delaware. Mitchell, NC on December 26th. The result was strong wind gusts for the entire Northeast and a major late season snowstorm for parts of Maine and New Hampshire from April 9 to 10. In Puerto Rico, moderate drought developed in mid-May and continued to intensify and expand in coverage through the early summer. Meanwhile, autumn was characterized by extreme temperature swings, with October ranking in the top 10 coldest and November ranking in the top 10 warmest for some states in the region. Early on December 25th, snow flurries were reported as far south as Charleston International Airport, SC, which is only its second trace of snowfall on Christmas Day since 1938. Harford, Connecticut, received only 4.42 inches (112.27 mm) of precipitation during summer, making it the sites driest summer on record. Even in these areas, the wetness became a memory as drought developed and expanded in the late summer, fall, and early winter. The Albany International Airport in New York recorded a wind gust of 67 mph (30 m/s), its highest October wind gust since 1987. Back-to-back storms from February 5 to 8 brought an extreme mix of weather conditions to the Northeast. Low reservoir levels and streamflows were contributing factors to the widespread drought intensification in 2020 throughout the West. On the 30th, San Juan (18982020) observed its second wettest July day on record, with 4.46 inches (113 mm) of precipitation. Burlington and Caribou, Maine, also had their warmest minimum temperature for May. Over 1,000 wells were affected in New Hampshire, where some well drilling contractors had a waitlist of over 100 people or a 6 to 12 week wait. Alamosa, Colorado: New daily records for maximum and minimum temperature set in the same day (92.0 degrees F/33.3 degrees C and 37.0 degrees F/2.8 degrees C), July 10 (period of record 1906-2021), Rapid City, South Dakota: Earliest hard freeze (28.0 degrees F/-2.2 degrees C) on record, September 9 (period of record 1942-2021), Pueblo, Colorado: Most number of 90.0 degrees F (32.2 degrees C) days on record for a single year, 99 days (period of record 1888-2021), Denver, Colorado: Highest September temperature on record at 101.0 degrees F (38.3 degrees C), September 5 (period of record 1872-2021), Laramie, Wyoming: Lowest October temperature on record at -26.0 degrees F (-32.2 degrees C), October 27 (period of record 1948-2021). The tornado, the first of the year in New England, snapped and uprooted trees. Even as the winter started, drought conditions continued to expand, which is highly unusual for the High Plains at this time of the year. The June 2021 global surface temperature was the fifth highest for June in the 142-year record at 0.88C (1.58F) above the 20th century average. All nine Midwest states were above their 1981-2010 normal by 0.9 to 1.8 degrees F (0.5 to 1.0 C). Approximately 64 percent of the 168 long-term stations across the region observed annual precipitation totals that were at least 12 inches above average. Several notable widespread wind events occurred in the Northeast this year. Bellingham, Washington recorded 41.36 in (1050.54 mm, 115% of normal) making it the sixth wettest year since 1949. Seven major climate sites including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; and Atlantic City, New Jersey, tied their record for least snowy spring (March through May). Numerous long-term stations observed their highest or second highest annual count of days with a minimum temperature at or above 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C), including West Palm Beach, FL (18882020; 261 days, 71 percent of the year), Orlando, FL (18922020; 177 days, 48 percent of the year), Lumberton, NC (19032020; 87 days, 24 percent of the year), and Roanoke, VA (19122020; 45 days, 12 percent of the year). A total of 299 tornadoes (8 unrated, 123 EF-0s, 125 EF-1s, 31 EF-2s, 11 EF-3s, 1 EF-4) were confirmed across the Southeast during the year, which is the sixth highest annual tornado count for the region since modern records began in 1950. For instance, a roof was blown off a store in Cape May, New Jersey, and a cow barn was tossed into a power pole in Rockland, Massachusetts. Holly National Weather Service forecast area. The dry winter and above normal temperatures throughout the year contributed to a rapid expansion of drought in these two states with only a small area in southern California remaining drought free at the end of the year. Strawberry growers in Florida reported higher-than-normal fungal disease pressure and pest pressure due to unusual warmth in January and February. The rapid drop in temperatures, from warm conditions just prior to the freeze, exacerbated the situation. Climate Normals will shift from 1981-2010 to 1991-2020. Warm weather in February contributed to low snowfall totals in southern and eastern parts of the region. Portions of New England were designated as natural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making some farmers eligible for federal assistance. The most costly events of the year include: Hurricane Laura, the Western wildfires and the Midwest derecho. Three more states had more than 2.00 inches (51 mm) above normal and another two (Illinois and Wisconsin) had more than 1.00 inch (25 mm) above normal. Hawaii, for the second year in a row, saw above normal temperatures that were in some cases record-breaking. In many fields in southern Alabama, Hurricane Sally blew down the cotton crop when bolls had yet to open. Dulles Airport, Virginia, and Erie, Pennsylvania, set or tied their greatest number of April days with measurable precipitation. Flash flooding was reported from Delaware to New York, resulting in road closures and water rescues. The total area experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions grew from roughly one-third of the region to two-thirds of the region by the end of the year while the total area experiencing exceptional drought conditions increased. In addition, Highlands was only 3.44 inches (87 mm) short of exceeding the highest annual precipitation total ever recorded in North Carolina, which occurred just two years ago on Mt. Much of the western half and eastern third of the CONUS experienced above-average maximum temperatures for the year with Arizona ranking warmest on record. This resulted in many locations ranking among the top 10 snowiest Septembers and Octobers on record. With a daily maximum temperature of 24 degrees F (-4.4 degrees C), Asheville, NC (18762020) recorded its coldest Christmas Day since 1983, while Huntsville, AL (19072020) observed its coldest Christmas Day since 1985, with a daily maximum temperature of 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). Power outages lasted five days in some locations. Several landslides occurred along the foothills of western North Carolina and southwestern Virginia. Further east, in Californias Central Valley, Sacramento received 7.86 in (199.64 mm, 39% of normal) making it the fifth driest year since 1878. Asheville, NC (18692020) observed its highest annual count of 157 days with measurable precipitation, while Miami, FL (18952020) tied its highest annual count of 30 days with at least 1 inch (25 mm) of precipitation. Approximately four percent of Californias nearly 100 million acres were consumed by wildfires in 2020, which is the largest wildfire season on record for the state. Several tropical systems affected the Northeast this year, with Tropical Storm Fay, Tropical Storm Isaias, and Tropical Storm Zeta being particularly noteworthy. In May, cooler than normal conditions prevailed across every state except Texas, while precipitation was higher than normal for every state except for Mississippi. Twenty-seven of the 30 named storms were the earliest named storm, for their respective number, on record. In addition, there were two EF-0 tornadoes, one in eastern New York and one in eastern Massachusetts. Snowfall during the 20192020 snow season was below average across the Sierra Nevada range, the coastal ranges, Cascades, the northern and central Plains, portions of the Great Lakes and across parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Hurricanes Hanna and Delta were primarily rain events, with reports of 15 inches (381 mm) in southern Texas from Hanna and 17 inches (431.80 mm) in southwestern Louisiana from Delta. The maps below show average temperature (left), rainfall (middle) and sunshine duration (right) compared to 1991-2020, across the UK last year. The storms winds also downed trees and power lines. Get in touch with us now. Forage crop yields were reduced by up to 75 percent in Maine and New Hampshire. Over time, the "normal" annual U.S. temperature has grown warmer, and the "normal . The year started off on the warm side, with winter temperatures generally above normal, except for western areas of Colorado and Wyoming. In 2020, above-average heat was more widespread than it has been in 2021 so far. All but three of these 25 stations were located in North Carolina and Virginia. Indiana was barely below normal (-0.04 inches or -1 mm), while Minnesota (-3.75 inches or -95 mm) and Iowa (-5.84 inches or -148 mm) were well below normal. Power outages affected millions in the region with many outages lasting days or even weeks in some cases. Southern parts of the region experienced severe weather from April 7 to 9. Hundreds of roads were flooded across these states, including the closure of I-95 near Wilson, NC. Several nights of frost and freezing temperatures during the month caused some grass damage in pastures across northern and central Florida, while low-lying areas of pastures in southern Florida sustained flooding. For a small area of northwest Oregon, western Washington, and northern Idaho, drought conditions improved with removal of drought for these locations. Iowa ranked as the 30th driest in its history. This was the sixth warmest January in the 143-year global record. This was the seventh highest January in the 142-year global record. In addition, December 17 became the snowiest December day on record for Binghamton, with 26.4 inches (67.1 cm), and Albany, New York, with 19.7 inches (50.0 cm). Despite slightly above normal snowpack in the Colorado River Basin, April-July inflows into Lake Powell were only 52% of normal due a combination of above normal temperatures and evaporative demand and a lack of any substantial early summer monsoonal rainfall. The global mean temperature in 2021 is estimated to have been 1.21 C (2.17 F) above the average temperature from 1850-1900, a period often used as a pre-industrial baseline for global temperature targets. Annual losses in 2020 exceeded $95 billion, the fourth highest cost on record. Annual snowfall accumulations were below average across much of the Southeast region, particularly in the higher elevations of North Carolina and Virginia. The remnants of Fay helped spawn an EF-0 tornado in southern Maine on July 11. Conditions improved in eastern New York but worsened in western New York and the western half of Pennsylvania. . From an agricultural perspective, drought caused many impacts, especially for livestock and winter wheat producers. Many locations across the region observed their coldest Christmas Day in at least two decades. Wet weather continued to delay field work across North Carolina, with reports of negative impacts on the wheat crop due to waterlogged soils. From May 8 to 11, the polar jet stream plunged south and Arctic air spilled into the Northeast, with many areas seeing snow. Like most years, 2020 temperatures were quite variable throughout the year. Add to Cart . The wettest locations were found across much of Virginia, the Carolinas, Alabama, northern and central Georgia, the western half of the Florida Panhandle, southeastern Florida, and Puerto Rico. Maine had its worst year for fires in 20 years with 1,000 wildfires as of September 24. Much of New England experienced the emergence of drought during the second half of 2020 with marked improvement by the end of the year. During the summer, drought conditions expanded to include over 70 percent of Wyoming and nearly all of Colorado. For several other locations in the Northeast, the storms daily or two-day snow total ranked among the ten greatest for December or any month on record. Every state with the exception of Louisiana had at least one month that was top-10 wettest on record, and two states (Mississippi and Oklahoma) had one month that was top-5 wettest on record. Temperatures across the Lower 48 in December 2020 (left), January 2021 (right), and February 2021, compared to the 1981-2010 average. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), drought coverage expanded throughout much of 2020 with a minimum CONUS extent of 9.6 percent occurring on February 18 and maximum coverage of approximately 50 percent on December 22. March was mainly warmer and wetter than normal, with every state experiencing warmer than normal temperatures and every state except Louisiana experiencing wetter than normal conditions. Meanwhile, Bismarck, ND had its second wettest year in 2019, followed by its third driest in 2020 (period of record 1874-2021). There were 8 fatalities from Hurricane Zeta, including in Acworth, GA where a large oak tree was uprooted and fell onto a mobile home, killing a man. Allentown, Pennsylvania, had its warmest winter on record. The severe weather season got off to a very slow start this year, with only 10 tornado watches issued nationally during May. The solar day over the course of the year 2021. On June 3, a line of intense thunderstorms with wind gusts of up to 93 mph (42 m/s) raced across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Despite the snowfall, the fall season was dry, overall, and the majority of the region went into winter with dry soils. Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight and Daylight Saving Time in 2021 in Denver. For the individual nations, it was the second warmest . The average global land and ocean surface temperature for January 2021 was 0.80C (1.44F) above the 20th century average of 12.0C (53.6F). The winds caused water levels to rise significantly along Lake Eries eastern shoreline, resulting in flooding near Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, New York. The Midwest was completely free of drought from January through May of 2020. The combination of heavy rain, melting snow, and wet antecedent conditions led to flooding in central/eastern New York, the eastern half of Pennsylvania, and Delaware. There were two months (March and November) where the entire region experienced a top-10 warmest month on record. Only January-May of 2010 and 2016 were warmer. On December 31, a strong low-pressure system over the north Pacific Ocean deepened to 921 millibars (27.20 inches of mercury) as it crossed over Attu Island, the westernmost of the Aleutian Island chain. Numerous daily precipitation extremes were recorded across the region during the year. In contrast, places such as Boulder, CO, experienced its snowiest season on record with 152 inches of snow. The Central states also experienced a historic severe weather event the. Based on the 2-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watersheds, the California region had the lowest SWE at 76% of normal. From July 19th through the 22nd, Norfolk, VA observed its longest streak of 4 consecutive days with a maximum temperature of at least 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C). Quick rises on waterways were observed. On April 13th, the strongest tornado of the year across the Southeast region occurred in Hampton County, SC. The warmest temperature observed during the year was 102 degrees F (38.9 degrees C), which was recorded at several locations across the region, including Macon, GA (July 20th), Athens, GA (July 20th), and Norfolk, VA (July 19th, 21st, and 28th). Severe weather in the region was spread across many months, however the most newsworthy was a severe derecho on August 10th. The tornadoes and wind gusts caused structural damage and downed numerous trees. A pocket of extreme rainfall occurred in the Rocky Mount-Wilson area of eastern North Carolina, with a 2-day total of 9.84 inches (250 mm) recorded at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport.