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| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate of 1998 through October: Year to Date: Warmest Global Mean; Wettest and 2nd Warmest US Updated November 17, 1998 |
 Satellite Derived Global Temperature Anomalies October 1998
National Climatic Data Center |
(U.S.) Climate Variations Bulletin
Climatic Extremes, Weather Events
Special Reports (incl: Hurricane Mitch)
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(contains material also published in the Climate Variations Bulletin) |
| Preliminary data indicate that the period January-October 1998 was the second warmest such period since 1895 for the contiguous United States. The 1998 year-to-date national averaged temperature was 57.4°F. The warmest January-October, at 57.7 °F, occurred in 1934, the warmest year on record. The 1961-1990 normal temperature for January-October is 55.3°F. Over 66% of the country was much warmer than normal while none of the country was much cooler than normal. |
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With a national averaged precipitation value of 28.39 inches, preliminary data suggest that January-October 1998 was the wettest such 10-month period on record for the contiguous United States. The 1961-1990 normal for the same period is 24.84 inches. The second wettest such ten-month period was January-October 1973 with 28.13 inches of precipitation. Over 28% of the country was much wetter than normal while less than two percent of the country was much drier than normal. |
TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION RANKINGS FOR
JAN-OCT 1998, BASED ON THE PERIOD 1895-1998.
1 = DRIEST/COLDEST, 104 = WETTEST/HOTTEST.
REGION PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE
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NORTHEAST 95 104
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 87 103
CENTRAL 100 102
SOUTHEAST 87 92
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 90 98
SOUTH 65 101
SOUTHWEST 79 84
NORTHWEST 88 99
WEST 104 46
NATIONAL 104 103
EXTREMES, 1961-90 NORMALS, AND 1998 VALUES FOR JANUARY-OCTOBER
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
DRIEST WETTEST NORMAL 1998
REGION VALUE YEAR VALUE YEAR PCPN PCPN
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NORTHEAST 26.40 1957 44.79 1996 34.34 39.09
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 18.10 1910 33.27 1951 27.17 29.66
CENTRAL 26.58 1930 44.82 1898 36.08 42.87
SOUTHEAST 31.56 1954 54.83 1929 43.86 48.36
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 10.32 1934 21.38 1915 15.53 17.99
SOUTH 20.41 1956 41.23 1973 30.60 31.50
SOUTHWEST 7.05 1956 20.24 1941 11.78 13.07
NORTHWEST 13.30 1929 25.43 1950 19.69 22.27
WEST 5.98 1966 22.79 1998 11.96 22.79
NATIONAL 20.39 1934 28.39 1998 24.84 28.39
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
COLDEST WARMEST NORMAL 1998
REGION VALUE YEAR VALUE YEAR TEMP TEMP
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NORTHEAST 46.5 1907 51.9 1998 48.7 51.9
EAST NORTH CENTRAL 42.8 1917 51.1 1921 47.0 51.0
CENTRAL 53.9 1979 60.1 1921 56.1 59.2
SOUTHEAST 63.0 1940 67.2 1925 64.6 66.7
WEST NORTH CENTRAL 43.0 1917 50.3 1934 46.9 48.9
SOUTH 63.2 1979 67.7 1911 64.8 67.4
SOUTHWEST 51.9 1917 57.8 1934 54.8 55.6
NORTHWEST 46.7 1955 53.0 1934 49.4 51.3
WEST 55.4 1912 60.5 1934 57.6 57.2
NATIONAL 53.4 1912 57.7 1934 55.3 57.4
 U.S. Statewide Temperature Ranks, October 1998 |
In the United States, October 1998 was the 32nd warmest and the 9th wettest such month since 1895. Regionally, October 1998 was the 19th warmest such month on record for the South region. October 1998 was the 30th coolest such month on record for both the West and Northwest regions. It was the third consecutive such month of below normal temperatures for the West region and the fifth consecutive such month of below normal temperatures for the Northwest region |
| Based upon preliminary data, October 1998 was the 11th driest such month since 1895 for the Southeast region. Precipitation for the previous six Octobers (1992-1997) has been above- to much-above the long-term mean. |  U.S. Statewide Precipitation Ranks, October 1998 |
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This graph shows the monthly national temperature characteristics for July 1997 through October 1998. The values for the most recent 2 months (September and October 1998) are based on preliminary data. (Note: The values for October 1998 are 0% cold and .5% warm and are therefore of negligible size on the graph. Similarly, the values for October 1997 are 0% warm and .3% cold.) Warm temperatures dominated the contiguous U.S. during most months in 1998. The geographic patterns of monthly warm (red) and cold (blue) anomalies can be seen in this Monthly Standardized Temperature Anomalies Animation. |
| This graph shows the monthly national precipitation characteristics for July 1997 through October 1998. The values for the most recent 2 months (September and October 1998) are based on preliminary data.
Large areas of unusually wet conditions dominated the contiguous U.S. at the beginning (January-March) of 1998 and in October 1998. Large areas of unusually wet conditions were counterbalanced by large areas of unusually dry conditions during April-September 1998. |
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 Jan-Oct 1998 Animation |
The geographical patterns of monthly precipitation anomalies are represented by the Palmer Z Index Animation, which is a short-term (monthly) index of drought (red areas) and wetness (green areas). |
| The geographic patterns of long-term (cumulative) monthly drought (red) and wetness (green) are represented by the Palmer Drought Index Animation. The PDI is best used as a drought/wet spell indicator for reservoir and groundwater applications. |  Jan-Oct 1998 Animation |
 Jan-Oct 1998 Animation |
Drought and wet spells have different impacts depending on which economic sector is being examined. The impact on agriculture is illustrated by the weekly Palmer Crop Moisture Index. |
Warm in South and Dry in Southeast U.S.
| October 1998 was the 19th warmest such month on record for the South region. The South region includes Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
| Based upon preliminary data, October 1998 was the 11th driest such month since 1895 for the Southeast region. Precipitation for the last six such months has been above- to much-above the long-term mean. The Southeast region includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. |
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| Precipitation averaged across the Great Plains ranked October 1998 as the second wettest October on record. The preliminary value for October 1998 was 3.91 inches. The wettest October occurred in 1941 with 3.96 inches. | 
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| October 1998 was the 30th coolest such month on record for both the West and Northwest regions. It was the third consecutive such month of below normal temperatures for the West region and the fifth consecutive such month of below normal temperatures for the Northwest region. The West region includes California and Nevada while the Northwest region includes Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. |  Satellite Derived US Temperature Anomalies, October 1998 |
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Northwest U.S. Region Temperature, October 1998
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 Global Mean Temperature Anomalies January-October 1998 |
 The period January through October was the warmest such period on record at 58.65 degrees. This is 1.25 degrees F above the 1880-1997 mean of 57.4 degrees F and exceeding the previous record set in 1997 by 0.36 degrees F.
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October 1998 Breaks Record Set in 1997 |
 Preliminary data indicate October 1998 broke the record for warmth for October, set in 1997. At 58.18 degrees Fahrenheit, October 1998 was 1.08 degrees F above the 1880-1997 mean global temperature of 57.1 degrees F. October 1997 set the record at 58.15 degrees F.
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 Global Temperature Anomalies October 1998 |
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| The ocean has now cooled down to below the 1997 sea surface temperatures, particularly over the equatorial eastern Pacific, where the cool La Nina signature continues to develop. It appears that the coolness over the ocean is largely being generated from subsurface currents, and this cooling effect lags over much of the global land surface. | Satellite Derived Global Temperature Anomalies, October 1998 |
 Satellite Derived Global Temperature Anomalies October 1998 |
The surface warmth is most evident from northeastern China, southward to Indochina and then westward to Pakistan. Other regions of above normal temperatures include: the southern tier of North America, Argentina, western Australia, and west of the Black Sea. The coolest anomalies include eastern Australia, southwestern U.S. and northern Europe. |
| The driest region of the globe is southern Russia, where an upper level ridge dominated the region. There are also areas of below normal dryness in Argentina, and where the surface is frozen over north-central Russia and Canada. The areas with above normal wetness include north central North America, the Ganges river valley, where the strong monsoon rains persisted longer than normal, and Manchuria, where extensive rains delayed the autumn harvest. |  Satellite Derived Global Surface Wetness Anomalies October 1998 |
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| The central and eastern Sahel experienced above normal wetness during the month of October. This promoted the growth of cereal grains and grass for pasture. Further to the east, near the horn of Africa, the rainfall was below normal, which will delay and retard the growing season in the area. |  Precipitation Anomalies October 1998 for Sahel |
| Below normal rainfall in Morocco allowed the farmers to sow there fields in anticipation of the autumn growing season. The corn growing region of northeastern South Africa was unusually wet in October, while the extreme southern tip of the country was drier than usual. |  Satellite Derived Surface Wetness Anomalies October 1998 for Africa |
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| The driest region of the globe extends from southern Russian to eastern Turkey. This area has been under high pressure during most of the month. The dryness has delayed the emergence of the winter wheat crop over the area. |  Precipitation Anomalies October 1998 for Southern Russia |
| In contrast, excessive rain extends from northern France across the Benelux countries into Poland. The soaked ground halted the harvest of sugar beets and corn, and delayed the planting of the winter wheat crop. Further to the east, the above normal wetness and temperature extended the growing season of the winter wheat crop, which usually becomes dormant by the middle of the month. |  Satellite Derived Surface Wetness Anomalies October 1998 for Europe
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| The snow cover over central Russia does not allow for the calculation of anomalies. However, the snow and wetness maps show this region has below normal snow cover, and below normal liquid water, which strongly indicate that these temperatures are cooler than normal (which corresponds with the persistent trough over this area of the world). Conversely, northern Canada has below normal snow cover and above normal wetness, indicating that temperatures are above normal. |  Global Snow Cover Anomalies October 1998 |
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| The global land and ocean (combined) surface temperatures continue to remain at record high levels through October of 1998. |
| As data are being received, scientists at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center are automatically updating The Global Historical Climatology Network data base to maintain a global climate perspective in near real-time. |
| For more information, refer to ... Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) The Global Temperature Anomalies NOAA's National Climatic Data Center is the world's largest active archive of weather data. The preliminary temperature and precipitation rankings are available from the center by calling: 828-271-4800 or on the World Wide Web at: Climate Variations Bulletin NOAA works closely with the academic and science communities on climate-related research projects to increase the understanding of El Niño and improve forecasting techniques. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center monitors, analyzes and predicts climate events ranging from weeks to seasons for the nation. NOAA also operates the network of data buoys and satellites that provide vital information about the ocean waters, and initiates research projects to improve future climate forecasts.
For further information, contact: Jay LawrimoreNOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4328 email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov |
http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/1998/oct/oct98.html 
