For a second year in a row the Southwest monsoon failed to produce much needed rainfall. 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 six Midwest states with above-normal precipitation in 2020 all exceeded their normal annual precipitation by November, and Kentucky did so in October. Overall, 2020 was also the Wind gusts of 40 mph (18 m/s) to 80 mph (36 m/s) damaged buildings and downed trees and wires, leading to power outages. The statewide temperature rankings for 2020 were as follows: Arkansas (thirty-eighth warmest), Louisiana (ninth warmest), Mississippi (tenth warmest), Oklahoma (twenty-eighth warmest), Tennessee (thirteenth warmest), and Texas (seventh warmest). Wind gusts of up to 50 mph (22 m/s) were recorded in several coastal locations of Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, where some coastal flooding occurred. Fires were a major issue across Colorado and Wyoming this year, with the three largest fires in Colorados history burning this summer and fall. 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. In November, every state experienced warmer than normal conditions, with Texas experiencing its fourth-warmest November on record, Oklahoma experiencing its eighth-warmest November on record, and the region as a whole experiencing its ninth-warmest November on record. The Midwest was completely free of drought from January through May of 2020. Current Conditions. In addition, Augusta, GA (18712020) observed only its second trace of snowfall on Christmas Day since records began 149 years ago. Use of irrigation was widespread; however, in some locations it was expensive or water supplies ran low or dried up. Numerous trees and branches were felled due to a combination of strong winds, drought stress, and being fully leafed. 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. Across the region, the strong winds downed trees and wires and damaged homes and buildings. 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. Annual temperature departures were above normal for nearly all of the Western U.S. The seven other states ranked between 13th and 26th in their respective histories. US Census Bureau, Population Division Variable Names and Descriptions, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, Keep up with the latest data and most popular content. The August Complex, SCU Lightning Complex, Creek Fire, LNU Lightning Complex and the North Complex burned nearly 2.5 million acres in all. Nevada and Utah ranked driest on record for 2020 with two additional western states ranking second driest. In June, dam releases were reduced in New Hampshire due to dropping lake levels, resulting in small hydropower plants no longer being able to generate power. Parts of northwestern Iowa remained in extreme drought as the year came to an end. Hurricane averages 3 inches of snow per year. Hints of this transition began in the fall of 2019, when drought conditions developed across southern Kansas and western and southern Colorado. 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. This record at Baker City is on the extreme end of the distribution and more than two inches less than the previous record of 5.63 in (143 mm) set in 2002. Alaska experienced its coldest first two months of the year in 2020 and coldest winter (December 2019 - February 2020) since 1999. In October, Worcester, Massachusetts, took one of its reservoirs offline due to low water levels. 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. With respect to precipitation, Oklahoma experienced its fifth-wettest March on record while Texas experienced its seventh-wettest March on record. On December 24th and 25th, an extensive squall line associated with a vigorous cold frontal passage produced convective wind gusts exceeding 45 mph (20 m/s) along coastal portions of the region, including 49 mph (22 m/s) at Charleston International Airport, SC, 59 mph (26 m/s) at Brunswick Golden Isles Airport, GA and Tampa International Airport, FL, 61 mph (27 m/s) at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, VA, and 64 mph (29 m/s) at Billy Mitchell Airport on Cape Hatteras, NC. Four states (Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio) have had six straight years above normal while the other five states, and the region as a whole, were below normal in 2019. The program itself uses the data collected in postcensal population estimates and the 10-year census population count, which calculates the difference between the two, and distributes that difference across the intermediary years, providing a yearly population estimate that is then retroactively verified. Updated: Feb 28, In addition, hundreds of pecan trees were uprooted across southern Alabama, with some of the losses occurring in 90-year-old orchards. There were numerous road closures and several water rescues. These provisional calculations are provided by the Synoptic Data API Services. Kahului, Maui also saw its warmest year on record since 1955 at 78.6 F (25.9 C), 2.7 F (1.5 C) above normal beating out the 2019 record of 78.4 F (25.8 C). In addition, West Virginia had its eighth wettest year while Maryland had its ninth wettest. The Northeast wrapped up 2020 just barely on the dry side of normal, seeing 43.61 inches (110.77 cm) of precipitation, 98 percent of normal. Low streamflow and warm water temperatures prompted several states to take actions to protect aquatic species. WebSalt Lake City, Utah gets 20 inches of rain, on average, per year. A climate chart for your city, indicating the monthly high temperatures and rainfall. Caribou, Maine, recorded 10.9 inches (27.7 cm) of snow on April 10, making it the sites second snowiest April day on record. From April 19th through the 20th, a line of thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall across central portions of Alabama and Georgia, with 24-hour precipitation totals exceeding 5 inches and numerous reports of localized flooding. The record of 163 consecutive days was set last year. More than 2.5 million customers lost power, making it one of the largest storm-related outages for two energy companies. 2020 was a year of transition for the High Plains region, as cool, wet conditions over the past two years gave way to a warmer and drier regime. The remnants of Hurricane Cristobal moved across the region June 8th-10th. Although the threshold for what is considered extreme weather differs across research and government organizations, we used a standardized baseline to classify approximately 95% of 20th century events as average. Early season snows were promising, but merely slowed the intensification and expansion of drought. Annual average temperatures for the twelve Northeast states ranged from 1.9 degrees F (1.1 degrees C) above normal in West Virginia to 2.8 degrees F (1.6 degrees C) above normal in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Massachusetts cranberry growers reported losses. WebYearly Averages N/A = This data was not available for this city. In Maine, potato yields were expected to be down by at least 20 percent and wild blueberry yields were reduced due to drought and frost. Low reservoir levels and streamflows were contributing factors to the widespread drought intensification in 2020 throughout the West. Drought conditions also dried up or reduced water supplies that some firefighters rely on to fight fires. Prior to this, there had only been four February tornadoes in Maryland between 1950 and 2019. March was an exceptionally warm month for the region, as three states (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) experienced a top-5 warmest March on record, while Oklahoma experienced a top-10 warmest March on record. Common Such methodology was applicable to all counties in the contiguous United States. A climate graph showing rainfall, temperatures and normals. To provide a comprehensive account of climate across the United States, we supplemented the dataset with individual station data for each county in Hawaii. Between 3 and 6 inches (76 to 152 mm) of rain fell in a two-hour period at rainfall rates of 3 or more inches (76 mm) per hour. To the west, West Virginia saw flood-inducing heavy rain, with the greatest totals approaching 4 inches (102 mm). In addition, Burlington, Vermont, tied its greatest number of June days with a high of at least 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). 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. This topped the 12-week stretch in early 2019 with no abnormally dry conditions. Monthly temperature, precipitation and hours of sunshine. During October, beneficial rainfall improved drought conditions in portions of New England; however, drought and abnormal dryness expanded or intensified in parts of New York and Pennsylvania. 88 days: Annual hours of sunshine: 3059 hours: Average annual precip. Meanwhile, northern locations received heavy snow, with the greatest totals of more than 12 inches (30 cm) in New York and northern New England. To the north, in western Pennsylvania, three weak (EF-0 or EF-1) tornadoes damaged trees and buildings, the Pittsburgh International Airport recorded its second highest thunderstorm wind gust on record at 75 mph (34 m/s), and a hangar and plane were destroyed at the Arnold Palmer Municipal Airport. From September through early October conditions remained relatively steady, but by the end of October conditions began to deteriorate rapidly. The USCEI is an index that tracks extremes (falling in the upper or lower 10 percent of the record) in temperature, precipitation, drought and landfalling tropical cyclones across the contiguous U.S. This was the states largest winter tornado outbreak. Annual precipitation averaged across the Midwest was 37.72 inches (958 mm), 0.78 inches (20 mm) above normal. Even as the winter started, drought conditions continued to expand, which is highly unusual for the High Plains at this time of the year. Tropical Storm Fay formed on July 9, becoming the earliest F named storm. Another widespread wind event occurred on November 15. California, Nevada, and the Four Corners states all received below normal precipitation with some pockets of above normal in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Utah, Utah gets 15 inches of rain, on average, per year. WebStatewide Average Average Precipitation for 77 Mountain SNOTEL Sites (Through 0212312023) 2023 Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct 30-Yr Avg. 30-Yr 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. Later in the season, a lack of snow cover across the Plains and low snowpack in the central Rockies also impacted skiing and snowmobiling activities. The storms winds also downed trees and power lines. The charts below show the population of each racial or ethnic group in Utah Maine had its worst year for fires in 20 years with 1,000 wildfires as of September 24. The severe weather season got off to a very slow start this year, with only 10 tornado watches issued nationally during May. Temperature and precipitation are two of the main ways people experience climate. 2020 was the hottest year on record for six major climate sites: Scranton and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Portland, Maine; Central Park, New York; and Providence, Rhode Island. Drought stress also caused leaves to change color and drop earlier than usual in parts of the Northeast. 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. Wet weather continued to delay field work across North Carolina, with reports of negative impacts on the wheat crop due to waterlogged soils. On June 10, Dulles Airport, Virginia, tied its warmest June low temperature with a low of 74 degrees F (23 degrees C). On the 9th, Fort Lauderdale, FL observed its third wettest November day on record, with 7.30 inches (185 mm) of precipitation. Utah gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 75 days per year. In September, many farmers in the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama reported a loss of cotton, peanuts, and pecans due to the passage of Hurricane Sally. Five of the six largest wildfires in California history also occurred during 2020. In Florida, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville (18712020), and Pensacola (18792020) observed their highest or second highest annual count of 313, 238, and 208 days with a maximum temperature at or above 80 degrees F (26.7 degrees C). Toggle Dropdown. The highest annual precipitation total for any station (excluding CoCoRaHS) across the region was recorded in Highlands, which surpassed its previous wettest year on record (2018) by 11.04 inches (280 mm). In addition, Interstate 81 near Binghamton, New York, was shut down for several hours due to disabled vehicles. Every state except for Texas experienced wetter than normal conditions. Strawberry growers in Florida reported higher-than-normal fungal disease pressure and pest pressure due to unusual warmth in January and February. Twenty-five fatalities and at least 166 injuries were caused by tornadoes during the year. Average high and low temperatures, total snowfall and precipitation for each year since 2010. The Northeast had its hottest July since recordkeeping began with an average temperature of 73.7 degrees F (23.2 degrees C), which was 4.1 degrees F (2.3 degrees C) warmer than normal. Most of the islands saw below normal precipitation with the exception of Kauai and some of southern Hawaii. During the rest of spring and beginning of summer, there was improvement in the total area experiencing drought with several areas improving to the point of only containing abnormally dry conditions. On August 5th, a 42-year-old man and a 77-year-old man were struck and killed while cleaning up debris from Hurricane Isaias in Wilmington, NC. The persistence of nighttime warmth was exceptional for many locations across the region, particularly in Florida. Damage was spread across Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana. Holly National Weather Service forecast area. In fact, by the end of September, all of Rhode Island was in an extreme drought for the first time in the U.S. Drought Monitors history (since 2000). All six states experienced warmer than normal temperatures, with Louisiana experiencing its sixth-warmest spring on record. These labels denote extremes based on 20th-century weather data averages. Annual mean temperatures were at least 2 degrees F (1.1 degrees C) above average for approximately 52 percent of the 168 long-term (i.e., period of record equaling or exceeding 50 years) stations across the region. Due to reduced yields, farmers bought hay to feed livestock, but there were hay shortages and increased prices, with a Vermont farmer spending as much as $20,000 on feed. Flash flooding due to heavy rain occurred again in parts of Maryland, Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey on August 12 and 13. U.S. Back-to-back storms from February 5 to 8 brought an extreme mix of weather conditions to the Northeast. Louisiana experienced five landfalls: Tropical Storm Cristobal and Hurricanes Laura, Marco, Delta, and Zeta. Utah averages 43 inches of snow per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year. A standard deviation measures the amount of variability among the numbers in a data set, the typical distance of a data point from the mean of the data and is calculated against the NClimDiv data as: Source Agency: Monthly (within first week of each month). Some areas of the region, especially western and southern Colorado, had departures over 2.0 degrees F (1.1 degrees C), which led to many locations ranking in the top 10 warmest years on record. A rare flash flood emergency was issued by the Philadelphia/Mt. Snowfall averages for: Alta Brian Head Brighton Ogden Provo. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. 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. Early 2019 with no abnormally dry conditions to fight fires available for this.. 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