Based on preliminary data for the month of July 1999, the global mean temperature was higher than the long-term average for July.

In fact, for nearly every month in the past 10 years, the global mean land temperature has been above the long-term (1880-1998) mean. The globally-averaged ocean temperature anomaly was only slightly above the mean, drawing the combined land and ocean anomaly for July down to the lowest it has been in five years.

larger image

For more information on how these anomalies are computed, see the pages on the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) and the Global Temperature Anomalies.

larger image

Based upon preliminary data, mean temperatures for July 1999 averaged across the contiguous U.S. were above the long-term mean, but not as high as last year or other periods in the past. See the Drought in the U.S. page for more information on areas affected by the unusually high temperatures and associated drought. The bars in this graph are departures from the 1895-1998 mean. The curved line is a nine-point binomial filter which shows the decadal-scale variations.

Based on preliminary data, July 1999 precipitation averaged across the contiguous U.S. ranked well below the long-term mean, despite the above normal precipitation in the Southwest and East North Central regions (particularly Wisconsin and Michigan).

Drought conditions in the northeast and Chesapeake areas dominate the precipitation story for the U.S. See the U.S. National Analysis and U.S. Regional / Statewide Analyses pages for more details on the U.S. climate. The bars in this graph are departures from the 1895-1998 mean. The curved line is a nine-point binomial filter which shows the decadal-scale variations.

larger image

larger image

Based upon preliminary data, the mean temperature for the contiguous U.S. for the 7-month period of January through July 1999 was much above the long-term mean. See the Drought in the U.S. as well as the U.S. National Analysis and U.S. Regional / Statewide Analyses pages for more details on the U.S. climate, including those areas with the above normal temperatures and associated drought. The bars in this graph are departures from the 1895-1998 mean. The curved line is a nine-point binomial filter which shows the decadal-scale variations.

Although there have been episodes of above normal precipitation in various areas of the country over the past 7 months, some areas have been experiencing extended drought.

Precipitation totals averaged across the contiguous U.S. for the 7-month period January through July 1999 have been well below the long-term mean. The bars in this graph are departures from the 1895-1998 mean. The curved line is a nine-point binomial filter which shows the decadal-scale variations. See the Drought in the U.S. as well as the U.S. National Analysis and U.S. Regional / Statewide Analyses pages for more details on the distribution of precipitation and the areas of drought.

larger image

Extreme Events

During July 1999, several areas of the world experienced extremes in climate such as record high temperatures, severe droughts, and flooding. In the U.S., record heat combined with the lack of precipitation caused drought conditions in the eastern half of the country. A full report is available at the Drought in the U.S. page. In the rest of the world, drought affected portions of Russia, the Middle East, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, and Spain. Heavy rains caused extensive flooding in the Yangtze River basin in China, across portions of eastern India and Bangladesh and in portions of Slovakia and Hungary. A full report on selected global extremes is available under the Climate-Watch, July 1999 page.

For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:

Climate Services Division
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue, Room 120
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: ncdc.orders@noaa.gov

For questions about this report, please contact:

Mike Changery
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: mchangry@ncdc.noaa.gov

Top of Page

NCDC / Climate Monitoring / Climate of 1999 / Help