Conditions generally improved in the region during November. Temperatures across the region for 2020 averaged 1.2 degrees F (0.7 C) above normal. This years snow season (2020-2021) kicked off with several early snowfalls, starting in September. March 2021 was: 0.19C warmer than the 1991-2020 average for March. After two consecutively wet years, 2020 was an extremely dry year for the majority of the High Plains region. Iowa had its 3rd driest August in history. Twenty-seven of the 30 named storms were the earliest named storm, for their respective number, on record. On August 7, just a few days after Isaias' excessive rainfall, strong storms produced heavy rain and more flash flooding in southeastern parts of the region. Temperatures rebounded in the summer, with most states in the High Plains ranking in the top 15 warmest summers on record. There were numerous impacts from the drought across the region, particularly in New England and New York. This dryness eased by mid-February, with the Northeast becoming free of abnormal dryness for the first time since July 2019. The Roanoke River crested almost 6 feet (1.8 meters) above flood stage on May 21st, sending water rushing onto some roadways and making them impassable. Drought conditions exhibited a slightly cyclical pattern throughout the Southern Region during 2020, but conditions primarily deteriorated as the year progressed. Mississippi had the most tornado reports (127) while Texas had the most hail (601) and wind (817) reports. Global average surface temperature has risen at an average rate of 0.17F per decade since 1901 (see Figure 2), similar to the rate of warming within the contiguous 48 states. In Alabama, greenhouses and plastic bedding on vegetables were significantly damaged by Zetas high winds. Peanuts in the Florida Panhandle were unable to be dug due to rainfall from Sally, and farmers noted that fungal disease and rotting would affect the quality of the harvest. Flooding in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and portions of New Jersey and Maryland led to road closures, stranded vehicles, and water rescues. Other sites saw only a trace, but for Islip, New York, it made May a snowier month than February. At the beginning of 2020, only 12 percent of the High Plains region was experiencing moderate to exceptional drought (D1-D4), and these conditions were largely confined to western and southern areas of Colorado and Kansas. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, there were substantial changes in drought conditions across the High Plains region over the course of the year. Hurricane Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores, AL on September 16th, with peak sustained winds of 105 mph (47 m/s) and a maximum wind gust of 121 mph (54 m/s) reported at Fort Morgan, AL. 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. Hartford, Connecticut, recorded 39 days this summer with a high of at least 90 degrees F (32 degrees C), its greatest on record for summer. In a break from recent years, average annual temperatures were generally above normal across the High Plains region, with widespread departures of up to 2.0 degrees F (1.1 degrees C). Many locations had precipitation totals that ranked in the top 10 driest on record, rivaling the drought years of 2017, 2012, and the Dust Bowl. Annual precipitation totals were well above average across the Southeast region, with widespread areas of exceptional wetness occurring in every state and Puerto Rico. Preliminary damage estimates in Delaware exceeded $20 million. Hundreds of thousands of customers lost power in the Northeast, including more than 115,000 customers in Massachusetts. Most of the drought is focused on the central islands of Molokai, Maui, Kahoolawe, and Lanai with severe and extreme drought present. The storm's highest wind gusts ranged from 60 to 78 mph (27 to 35 m/s). Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight and Daylight Saving Time in 2021 in Denver. Caribou, Maine, recorded 10.9 inches (27.7 cm) of snow on April 10, making it the sites second snowiest April day on record. Global monthly temperature anomalies, with ENSO status Dulles Airport, Virginia, and Erie, Pennsylvania, set or tied their greatest number of April days with measurable precipitation. Farmers dealt with extremely dry conditions. These dry conditions were coupled with extreme heat, which helped fuel some of the largest wildfires in Colorados history. Wisconsin, like the region, has recorded eight straight years above normal. Dozens of swift water rescues were performed by emergency personnel, with five flood-related fatalities reported at a campground in Alexander County, NC. Non-thunderstorm wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph (18 to 27 m/s) were common, with some of the highest wind gusts reaching 82 mph (37 m/s) near Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey; 80 mph (36 m/s) in Milton, Massachusetts; 79 mph (35 m/s) in Dewey Beach and Indian Beach, Delaware; and 75 mph (34 m/s) in Moosic, Pennsylvania. There were several flash flooding events during the year. Issues with extreme wetness carried over into 2020 in parts of the Northern Plains, however. On the Big Island, Hilo recorded an annual average temperature of 76.8 F (24.9 C), 2.9 F (1.7 C) above normal and the warmest on record dating back to 1950. 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. Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware each ranked warmest on record with six additional states' minimum temperatures ranking second warmest on record. April U.S. Release: Mon, 8 May 2023, 11:00 AM EDT, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, NOAA's Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index (REDTI), contiguous U.S. average annual precipitation, lowest known mean sea level pressure on record, nine climatic regions of the National Climatic Data Center, Northeast Regional Climate Center Home Page, Southeast Regional Climate Center Home Page, High Plains Regional Climate Center Home Page, Southern Regional Climate Center Home Page, Western Regional Climate Center Home Page. Conditions improved somewhat over the winter and early spring, but then deteriorated across the region through the summer, fall, and even early winter. Twenty-five fatalities and at least 166 injuries were caused by tornadoes during the year. Northern Delaware experienced some of its worst flash flooding in at least 15 years. Over time, the "normal" annual U.S. temperature has grown warmer, and the "normal . The only streak longer was during the first 32 weeks of 2019. Significant flooding occurred, particularly in southeastern Pennsylvania where several waterways recorded their highest water levels on record. The global land-only surface temperature was the eighth highest on record at +1.40C (+2.52F). Mitchell (139.94 inches, 3,554 mm). Coldest highest max temperatures for April were recorded at several major climate sites including Bridgeport and Hartford, Connecticut; Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts; Newark, New Jersey; Binghamton, Islip, and Kennedy Airport, New York. Yield losses in Iowa were due to a combination of drought and damages from the derecho. Hurricane Laura was the worst of the seven, making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Rocky Mountain snowpack was below normal at the time of this writing. The largest hailstones observed during the year were teacup-sized (i.e., 3-inch or 76-mm diameter), which were reported in Vernon, AL on March 29th, Darlington County, SC on May 5th, and Lake Mary, FL on May 21st. Soil moisture conditions in the fall and early winter are important for the High Plains region because, as soils freeze, available moisture is locked in place until spring. 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 . From September through early October conditions remained relatively steady, but by the end of October conditions began to deteriorate rapidly. On the 11th, Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport, NC (20002020) observed its second wettest day for any month on record, with 6.02 inches (153 mm) of precipitation. In February, five of six states experienced warmer than normal conditions (Texas was slightly cooler than normal) while all six states were wetter than normal, with Mississippi experiencing its fifth-wettest February on record while Tennessee experienced its eighth-wettest February on record. Although the season was below average, it was more than the 1993 to 2020 minimum of 23,000 acres set in 2004. On May 5th, damaging straight-line winds and an associated gustnado were observed in Lancaster County, SC, with the highest estimated gust of 105 mph. Every state experienced a warmer than normal winter, with every state experiencing a top-20 warmest winter on record while Tennessee experienced its sixth-warmest winter on record. These conditions improved slightly during the spring, but quickly gave way to further expansion and deterioration, particularly during the summer and fall. Above-average conditions were observed across much of the North Slope, West Coast and the Aleutians, primarily due to the lack of coastal sea ice. Temperatures across the Lower 48 in December 2020 (left), January 2021 (right), and February 2021, compared to the 1981-2010 average. This could be concerning as spring planting gets underway. The highest thunderstorm wind gust recorded during the year was 84 mph (38 m/s), which was measured near Mountain Lake, VA as a squall line moved through southwestern Virginia on April 8th. Texas had the most severe weather reports total (1,520) while Louisiana had the fewest (407). One tornado in Delaware was on the ground for over 35 miles (56 km), the state's longest tornado track on record. 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). 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. It was only the second time since 1885 that Philadelphia recorded no snowfall during spring. All but three of these 25 stations were located in North Carolina and Virginia. The U.S. Drought Monitor released in June 25 showed 16 percent of the Northeast in a moderate drought and 26 percent was abnormally dry. On the 30th, San Juan (18982020) observed its second wettest July day on record, with 4.46 inches (113 mm) of precipitation. Overall, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year the region experienced a slight decrease in the total area of at least abnormally dry conditions. Another widespread wind event occurred on November 15. A total of 13 tornadoes were spawned by Delta, including an EF-1 tornado that injured 2 people at a homeless shelter in Newton County, GA on October 10th. The anomalies themselves represent departures from the 20 th century average temperature. Annual snowfall accumulations were below average across much of the Southeast region, particularly in the higher elevations of North Carolina and Virginia. Maine had its driest September on record. Tropical Storm Fay formed on July 9, becoming the earliest F named storm. Atlanta, GA (18782020) received 4.55 inches (116 mm) of rainfall from Delta on the 10th, making it the second wettest October day on record. The nationally averaged maximum temperature (daytime highs) was above average for 2020 at 66.3F, 2.3F above average, ranking as sixth warmest in the 126-year record. For instance, the Frankford Creek rose 4 feet (1 m) in 10 minutes, while Pennypack Creek reached 10.45 feet (3.19 m), which ranked as the ninth highest water level since 1965 (based on preliminary data). The Central states also experienced a historic severe weather event the. The tornadoes downed trees, destroyed outbuildings, and damaged roofs and siding of some buildings. All six states experienced warmer than normal temperatures, with Louisiana experiencing its sixth-warmest spring on record. The heavy, wet snow and strong winds downed trees and caused more than 266,000 customers in Maine, around a third of the state, to lose power. Severe thunderstorms in these same areas downed trees and powerlines, as well as spawned three tornadoes: an EF-1 that snapped and uprooted trees in northern Maryland, an EF-0 that destroyed several barns in northern Maryland, and an EF-0 that damaged several buildings in southeastern Pennsylvania. cooler than each March from 2015 to 2020. Farther inland, winds gusted over 50 mph (22 m/s) in northern Georgia, Upstate South Carolina, and North Carolina, resulting in widespread downed trees and power outages. 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). Fires were a major issue across Colorado and Wyoming this year, with the three largest fires in Colorados history burning this summer and fall. On December 16th, a winter storm produced freezing rain, sleet, and snow across portions of North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. San Francisco, California, with one of the longest climate records in the state dating back to 1850, recorded its second driest year on record at 7.81 in (198.37 mm, 33% of normal). Based on preliminary analysis, the average annual temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 54.4F, 2.4F above the 20th century average. Portions of the lower Mississippi Valley had daytime temperatures that were below average during 2020. Washington, D.C. observed its lowest annual snowfall total since records began in 1884, while Washington Dulles International Airport, VA observed its third lowest annual snowfall total (4.7 inches, 119 mm) since records began in 1962. On January 31st, Charlotte, NC continued its record of reporting at least a trace of snow in every winter season since 1878. Average UK temperature for 2020 as a whole was 9.62C, which is behind only the years 2014 (9.88C) and 2006 (9.70C), and marginally warmer than 2011 (9.61C). During June, abnormal dryness expanded to include parts of every state except New Jersey and moderate drought was introduced in parts of New England and New York. Some producers sold calves early, too. Early season snows were promising, but merely slowed the intensification and expansion of drought. The global-mean temperature for March 2021 was higher than the average for 1991-2020, but less extreme than for most months in the last six years. March 20th saw six flooding deaths in Indiana when bridges were washed out near Laurel, Indiana. Further south, Stockton, California reported its warmest year on record (in the past 72 years) at 64.8 F (18.2 C), 3.5F (1.9 C) above normal. Peaking in intensity in early July, moderate-to-severe drought conditions covered over half of the island. Some parts of New York and New England also saw 0.25 to 0.50 inches (6 to 13 mm) of ice accumulation. To the west, West Virginia saw flood-inducing heavy rain, with the greatest totals approaching 4 inches (102 mm). The year ended quite warm, with a continuation of much-above-normal temperatures in December for most of the region. The region experienced temperatures 2 to 4 degrees warmer than normal in December and January. That 21-week stretch extended to a 29-week stretch when the last eight weeks of 2019 were added making it the second longest stretch with no drought in the region since 2000. This was approximately 1.35 . Earth's temperature has risen by an average of 0.14 Fahrenheit (0.08 Celsius) per decade since 1880, or about 2 F in total. Key West, FL (18712020) received 9.37 inches (238 mm) of rainfall from the storm on the 12th, which is its fifth wettest day for any month on record. On May 26th, Miami, FL observed a 24-hour rainfall total of 7.40 inches (188 mm), which is its third wettest May day on record. 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. Abnormal dryness was next introduced during the second half of May, this time in parts of New York and northern New England. In addition, Baltimore, Maryland; Hartford, Connecticut; LaGuardia Airport, New York; Philadelphia and Scranton, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; and Washington, D.C. recorded their greatest number of days with a high of at least 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) for any month on record. Strengthening to a hurricane, Isaias made landfall near Ocean Isle Beach, NC on August 3rd, with peak sustained winds of 85 mph (38 m/s) and a maximum wind gust of 99 mph (44 m/s) in Federal Point, NC. Lower than usual streamflow on the Hudson River in New York in October led to increased sodium levels in Poughkeepsies water supply. In addition, Columbus, GA (18912020) and Macon, GA (18922020) observed their wettest and second wettest April day on record, with 5.92 and 4.41 inches (150 and 112 mm) of rainfall, respectively. During summer and fall, groundwater levels were also well below normal in many drought areas. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. Some cattle farmers also thinned their herds earlier than usual. Most of the contiguous U.S. experienced above-average temperatures during 2020. Lawns turned brown in parts of the Northeast. In Alaska, annual temperatures were above normal along the North Slope, in western coastal Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands. On December 1, Caribou, Maine, recorded a high temperature of 60 degrees F (16 degrees C), its warmest winter temperature on record. While February, March, and the spring season were record-setting for their lack of snow, May featured record-setting snowfall in a few locations. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. The seven other states ranked between 13th and 26th in their respective histories. Allentown, Pennsylvania, had its warmest winter on record. If you have further questions or comments about the GHCN data or the Climate Data Online interface, you can send an email to NOAA NCEI at ncei.orders@noaa.gov or call them at 1-828-271-4800. Storm snow totals exceeded 24 inches (61 cm) in an area stretching from central Pennsylvania through New York and into northern New England, where snow fell at rates of at least 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) per hour. 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. 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. There were two months (March and November) where the entire region experienced a top-10 warmest month on record. Eleven of the Northeasts 35 major climate sites set or tied their record for least snowy March.
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