November 2012 Climate Digest

Posted on 2012, December 14 by EarthNow Team
November Climate Digest Video

Climate Digest Video • iPad Video

SOS Playlists

SOS Playlist

Overview

Each month, we will provide information regarding the previous month’s climate. Overall, preliminary data analysis suggests that November 2012 was the fifth warmest on record (since 1880).  Major stories include drought in the United States, flooding in Argentina, and the devastating impacts of Typhoon Bopha. More detailed information follows.

November 2012 Weather and Climate Highlights

November 2012 Highlights Sphere Preview • iPad Video

Highlights Dataset

Dataset Name: 20121219 EarthNow: November 2012 Highlights
Full Map Image
    • This dataset shows some of the major November weather and climate highlights from the National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC) monthly global climate analysis, and serves as an overview of what can be discussed in the datasets that follow. Highlights are noted below with more information.
    • United States: At the end of November, about 76% of the country was considered to be abnormally drought or experiencing exceptional drought. It is the country’s eighth driest November on record (since 1895).
    • Argentina: Portions of Argentina experienced strong storms, leading to heavy rain and severe flooding.
    • Australia: The average November maximum temperature was the fourth highest on record.
    • Typhoon Bopha: (November 25 – December 9); Max. winds: 260 km/hr; Bopha made landfall as a category 5 storm, killing over 700 people, with around 900 people still missing.
    • South Korea: Experienced its fifth lowest November maximum temperature average on record (since 1973).
    • United Kingdom: Heavy rain resulted in severe flooding. Some areas received twice the month’s normal rainfall in one week.
    • Spain: wetter than average conditions.
    • Arctic Sea Ice Extent: Third smallest on record, at 12.2% below the 1979-2000 average.
    • Antarctic Sea Ice Extent: Sixth largest on record, as 2.4% above the 1979-2000 average.
November 2012 SST Anomalies

SST Anomalies Sphere Preview • iPad Video

Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies Dataset

Dataset Name: 20121219 EarthNow: RT SST Anomalies
Full Map Image
  • The real-time sea surface temperature anomaly dataset is a great way to visualize the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle in the eastern tropical Pacific ocean. This helps show the moderate water waters, indicating an ENSO Neutral period.
  • Remember that the blues indicate cooler than average temperatures and reds indicate warmer than average temperatures (white: average).
November 2012 Snow and Ice

Snow and Ice Sphere Preview • iPad Video

Snow and Ice Cover Dataset

Dataset Name: 20121219 EarthNow: RT Snow and Ice Cover
Full Map Image
  • Aside from helping to illustrate seasonal changes, the real-time Snow and Ice Cover dataset is a great way to convey sea ice change through time, including discussing how the current sea ice extent compares to other noteworthy years.
  • The Arctic sea ice extent in November was the third smallest on record. The extent was 12.2% below the 1979-2000 average.
  • In Antarctica, the sea ice extent was the sixth largest on record, at 2.4% above the 1979-2000 average.
Where do I find the datasets?
  • First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.
  • If not, you can download the datasets and playlist files from this FTP Site.
  • Then download and use playlist files at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sos/sosrc or /home/sosdemo/sosrc.
Helpful Resources for More Information
Credits:
Visualizations/Blog: CIMSS, University of Wisconsin – Madison
CICS-MD, University of Maryland
NOAA Visualization Lab
NOAA
NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for November 2012, published online December 2012, retrieved on December 18, 2012 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/.
Category: Climate Digest
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0 Comments
comments 
Leave a Comment »

U.S. Winter Outlook

Posted on 2012, November 21 by EarthNow Team

SOS Playlists

SOS Playlist
Audio Not Available

Overview

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center expects that for winter, the upper Midwest, southern Florida, ad southeastern Alaska will experience below average temperatures. Northern Alaska and much of the southwest can expect warmer than normal temperatures. For more information about this and the precipitation outlook, read on!

U.S. Temperature Outlook (Dec.-Feb.)

U.S. Temperature Outlook • No Animation

U.S. Temperature Outlook

Still Map Image
    • Sea Surface Temperatures in the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) region suggest continued neutral conditions, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
    • For the December – February period, warmer than normal temperatures are expected for northern Alaska and much of the southwest, and southern plains, stretching into Idaho.
    • Cooler than normal temperatures can be expected in southern Florida, the upper Midwest, and southeastern Alaska.
    • All other locations (in white) have equal chances of being warmer or cooler than normal.
    • Outlook by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
    • In its forecasts, the CPC uses a wide variety of models in conjunction with looking at climate variables (like El Niño).
    • It should be noted that areas in the “warmer than normal” region may still have cooler than normal days. This outlook only suggests that after the three months are over, those areas in the “warmer than normal” region are more likely to have experienced warmer than normal average temperatures.

U.S. Precipitation Outlook • No Animation

U.S. Precipitation Outlook

Still Map Image

  • For the next three months (December – February), drier than normal conditions are expected for much of northern California, as well as southeastern Alaska.
  • Wetter than normal conditions are expected in the Ohio and Mississippi River Valley.
  • All other locations (in white) have equal chances of being wetter or drier than normal.
  • Outlook by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
  • In its forecasts, the CPC uses a wide variety of models in conjunction with looking at climate variables (like El Niño).
  • It should be noted that areas be in the “drier than normal” region may still have rainy days. This outlook only suggests that after the three months are over, those areas in the “drier than normal” region are more likely to have experienced drier than normal averages.
Where do I find the datasets?
  • First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.
  • If not, you can download the dataset and playlist files from this FTP Site.
  • Then download and use playlist file(s) at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sos/sosrc or /home/sosdemo/sosrc.
Helpful Resources for More Information
Credit(s):
Visualizations/Blog: CIMSS, University of Wisconsin – Madison
CICS-MD, University of Maryland
NOAA
References:
NOAA Climate Prediction Center, 3-month Outlook Discussion, http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/90day/fxus05.html
NOAA Climate Prediction Center, 3-month Outlook Maps, http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
Category: U.S. Outlook
Tags: , ,
0 Comments
comments 
Leave a Comment »

October 2012 Climate Digest

Posted on 2012, November 20 by EarthNow Team
October 2012 Climate Digest Video

October 2012 Climate Digest • iPad Video

SOS Playlists

SOS Playlist

Overview

Each month, we will provide information regarding the previous month’s climate. Overall, preliminary data analysis suggests that October 2012 was the fifth warmest on record (since 1880).  Major stories include Superstorm Sandy, a warmer than normal Argentina, and a very dry Australia. More detailed information follows.

October 2012 Highlights Sphere Preview

Sphere Preview • iPad Video

Highlights Dataset

Dataset Name: 20121120 EarthNow: October 2012 Highlights
Full Map Image
    • This dataset shows some of the major October weather and climate highlights from the National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC) monthly global climate analysis, and serves as an overview of what can be discussed in the datasets that follow. Highlights are noted below with more information.
    • Superstorm Sandy: October 22-29; Max. Winds: 176 km/hr; Heavy rain for Jaimaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and much of the eastern United States; Millions without power; blizzard conditions in the Appalachians; over 190 fatalities
    • Argentina: Temperatures above average
    • Australia: 10th driest October on 113-year record. Rainfall was only 48% of average.
    • Central Africa: Heavy rain and flooding for Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
    • Republic of Moldova: Temperatures 4.5-6.3˚F above average
    • Finland: Some areas received double the monthly average of precipitation.
    • United Kingdom: Coldest October since 2003, 2.3˚F below 1981-2010 average
    • Arctic Sea Ice: 24.6% below 1979-2000 average – 2nd smallest extent on record (behind 2007)
    • Antarctic Sea Ice: 3.4% above 1979-2000 average – 3rd largest extent on record
October 2012 SST Anomalies Sphere Preview

Sphere Preview • No Animation

Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies Dataset

Dataset Name: 20121120 EarthNow: RT SST Anomalies
Full Map Image
  • The real-time sea surface temperature anomaly dataset is a great way to visualize the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle in the eastern tropical Pacific ocean. This helps show the moderate water waters, indicating an ENSO Neutral period.
  • Remember that the blues indicate cooler than average temperatures and reds indicate warmer than average temperatures (white: average).
October 2012 Snow and Ice Sphere Preview

Sphere Preview • No Animation

Snow and Ice Cover Dataset

Dataset Name: 20121120 EarthNow: RT Snow and Ice Cover
Full Map Image
  • Aside from helping to illustrate seasonal changes, the real-time Snow and Ice Cover dataset is a great way to convey sea ice change through time, including discussing how the current sea ice extent compares to other noteworthy years.
  • The Arctic sea ice extent in October was the second smallest on record, behind 2007. The extent was 24.6% below the 1979-2000 average.
  • In Antarctica, the sea ice extent was the third largest on record, at 3.4% above the 1979-2000 average.
Where do I find the datasets?
  • First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.
  • If not, you can download the datasets and playlist files from this FTP Site.
  • Then download and use playlist files at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sos/sosrc or /home/sosdemo/sosrc.
Helpful Resources for More Information
Credits:
Visualizations/Blog: CIMSS, University of Wisconsin – Madison
CICS-MD, University of Maryland
NOAA Visualization Lab
NOAA
References:NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for October 2012, published online November 2012, retrieved on November 15, 2012 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2012/10.
Category: Climate Digest
Tags: , , , , ,
0 Comments
comments 
Leave a Comment »