March 2012: warmest in U.S. history
Not only was March 2012 the warmest March in the U.S. since record keeping began in 1895, it was also the second most extreme month for warmth in U.S. history, said NOAA yesterday, in their monthly "State of the Climate" report. The average temperature of 51.1°F was 8.6 degrees above the 20th century average for March, and 0.5°F warmer than the previous warmest March in 1910. Of the more than 1,400 months that have passed since the U.S. weather records began in 1895, only one month--January 2006--had a larger departure from its average temperature than March 2012. A remarkable 25 states east of the Rockies had their warmest March on record, and an additional 15 states had a top-ten warmest March. Only four states were cooler than average, with Alaska being the coldest (tenth coldest March on record.)
Figure 1. Temperature rankings for March 2012 in the Contiguous U.S. Twenty five states set records for warmest March in the 118-year records (red colors.) Image credit: NOAA.
March 2012: most daily records broken of any month since July 1936
A wunderground analysis of weather records from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center temperature record database reveals that more daily high temperature records were broken in March in 2012 than for any month except July 1936, going back at least 100 years. Fully 11.3% of all daily high temperature records for the month of March in the U.S. are now held by the year 2012, for the 550 stations in NOAA's National Climatic Data Center database that have weather records extending back at least 100 years. The only month in U.S. history holding a higher percentage of daily temperatures records is July 1936. That month holds 14.4% of all the U.S. high temperature records for the month of July. That month occurred in the great Dust Bowl summer of 1936, the hottest summer in U.S. history.
Summer in March 2012: records not merely smashed, but obliterated
Among the 15,000 daily records for warmth set in March 2012 were 21 truly astonishing ones: cases where the low temperature for the day beat the previous high temperature for the day. It is quite rare for a weather station with a 50+ year period of record to break a daily temperature record by more than 10°F. During "Summer in March, 2012", beating daily records by 10° - 20°F was commonplace, and NOAA lists 44 cases where a daily record was broken by more than 22°F. Extraordinarily, four stations broke a record for the date by 30°F or more. Canada holds the most surreal record of this nature during the "Summer in March, 2012" heat wave: Western Head, Nova Scotia hit 29.2°C (85°F) on March 22, breaking their previous record for the date (10.6°C in 1969) by 18.6°C (33.5°F.) Canada also had several stations break their all-time warmest April temperature records in March.
Last 3 months and 12 months were the warmest on record
The previous 12-month period (April 2011 -March 2012), which includes the second hottest summer (June-August) and fourth warmest winter (December-February), was the warmest such period for the contiguous United States. The year-to-date period (January - March) was also the warmest on record. NOAA's U.S. Climate Extremes Index, an index that tracks the highest 10 percent and lowest 10 percent of extremes in temperature, precipitation, and drought, was 39 percent, nearly twice the long-term average and the highest value on record for the January - March period. The predominant factor was the large area experiencing extremes in warm daily maximum and minimum temperatures.
Analyzing the "Summer in March, 2012" heat wave
Dr. Martin Hoerling of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder has posted a thorough analysis of the heat wave, which he calls, "Meteorological March Madness 2012". He explains that the event was probably a natural phenomenon, one that was predicted more than a month in advance by NOAA's long-range CFS model. A similar, though not as intense heat wave occurred in March 1910. However, he notes that the approximate 0.5 - 1°C warming in the Ohio Valley/Midwest U.S. in recent decades--due to human-caused emission of heat trapping gases like carbon dioxide--has significantly increased the odds of major heat waves occurring. He speculates that the odds of a 1-in-40 year heat wave in the Midwest may have increased by about 50% due to human-caused global warming, but that we really don't know how much global warming may have increased the odds of the March 2012 heat wave, saying "This issue of estimating reliable statistics of extreme, rare events continues to be a matter of active research." He estimates that human-caused global warming likely increased the intensity of the March 12 - 23, 2012 heat wave by about 5 - 10%, and concludes by saying, "The probability of heatwaves is growing as [human-caused] warming continues to progress. But there is always the randomness."
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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A0 Reeves TX 70 dBZ 36,000 ft. 60 kg/m² 100% Chance 100% Chance 3.25 in. 14 knots W (264)
If they can't see rotation they are blind
One tornado warning in NE tx and a severe thunderstorm warning on the panhandle, it's just started to ramp up.
3 of the most powerful cells are moving less than 15kts!
It's April. Stuff should be moving pretty fast, and instead its like coasting or stalled out.
I had just planted my corn seeds and also my Pepper Plants, when dat hit. So Im Hoping the corn germinates, but the pepper plants did ok so far.
It was a mini bow echo.
The oceans seem to be draining into a hole over in the Indian Ocean. Not much else besides a handful of tornadoes and some frost, wildfires and earthquakes. Dead dolphins and diseased polar bears.
In Texas, often it seems they wait for spotters to report things.
U forgot bappit's wu book club circle of festive assorted New Climate Change Novels, fiction included.
: )
how is that NOT a tornado?
Its true, the EQ dislodged the drain plug.
It's working fine for me
M8.6 - Off The West Coast Of Northern Sumatra
2012-04-11 08:38:37 UTC
375
WUUS54 KMAF 112058
SVRMAF
TXC371-389-112200-
/O.NEW.KMAF.SV.W.0062.120411T2058Z-120411T2200Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
358 PM CDT WED APR 11 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIDLAND HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
NORTHWESTERN PECOS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS...
SOUTHEASTERN REEVES COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS...
* UNTIL 500 PM CDT
* AT 354 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 27
MILES SOUTHWEST OF COYANOSA...OR 27 MILES SOUTH OF PECOS...MOVING
EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM JUST NORTH OF INTERSTATE 10 IN SOUTHERN
REEVES COUNTY.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
NORTHWESTERN PECOS COUNTY...
SOUTHEASTERN REEVES COUNTY...
NORTHERN PECOS COUNTY...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
DOPPLER RADAR HAS DETECTED WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM. WHILE NOT
IMMEDIATELY LIKELY... A TORNADO MAY STILL DEVELOP. IF A TORNADO IS
SPOTTED... ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY
STRUCTURE... SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3128 10311 3108 10290 3082 10302 3080 10334
3092 10355 3112 10359
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 266DEG 27KT 3103 10341
Smart little me knew to wait until the artificial heat wave passed on. I was waiting for this cold snap to come first. After this comes through, we should be frost-free in the Southeast.
Oh, and btw, weatherh98, you've got mail if you're around, just a question i need answered :)
really, is water really runnind down into a crack and turning to stone?
how much?
Apparently you missed it, too. Read back through the blog. I think RitaEvac thought that one up.
Yeah two magnitude 8+ earthquakes
Thanks for the update
Giant hail core.
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 156
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
245 PM MDT WED APR 11 2012
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
EASTERN NEW MEXICO
WEST TEXAS
EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 245 PM UNTIL
900 PM MDT.
HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 75
STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 80 MILES NORTHEAST OF
LAS VEGAS NEW MEXICO TO 45 MILES WEST OF DRYDEN TEXAS. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).
REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY
DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 155...
DISCUSSION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN INCREASING OVER THE
HIGHER TERRAIN OF EAST-CENTRAL NM. THIS ACTIVITY...ALONG WITH NEW
DEVELOPMENT WILL AFFECT THE HIGH PLAINS OF EASTERN NM AND WEST TX
THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. COOL TEMPERATURES ALOFT AND
STRENGTHENING WINDS ALOFT WILL PROMOTE A RISK OF HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS IN THE STRONGEST CELLS.
AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT
TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60
KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM
MOTION VECTOR 27025.
That rotation is not associated the storm according to GR2Analyst.
WEIO21 PHEB 111318
TSUIOX
TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 007
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 1318Z 11 APR 2012
THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.
... TSUNAMI WATCH CANCELLATION SUPPLEMENT ...
... UPDATED SEA-LEVEL MEASUREMENTS ...
THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME - 0839Z 11 APR 2012
COORDINATES - 2.3 NORTH 93.1 EAST
LOCATION - OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
MAGNITUDE - 8.7
MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY
GAUGE LOCATION LAT LON TIME AMPL PER
------------------- ----- ------ ----- --------------- -----
MALE MV 4.2N 73.5E 1223Z 0.19M / 0.6FT 06MIN
GAN MV 0.7S 73.2E 1212Z 0.03M / 0.1FT 48MIN
HANIMAADHOO MV 6.8N 73.2E 1235Z 0.25M / 0.8FT 06MIN
PADANG ID 1.0S 100.4E 1208Z 0.09M / 0.3FT 34MIN
KO TAPHAO NOI TH 7.8N 98.4E 1143Z 0.05M / 0.2FT 06MIN
ENGGANO ID 5.3S 102.3E 1104Z 0.12M / 0.4FT 04MIN
TRINCONMALEE LK 8.6N 81.2E 1129Z 0.06M / 0.2FT 16MIN
TELUKDALAM ID 0.6N 97.8E 1044Z 0.22M / 0.7FT 14MIN
COCOS ISLAND AU 12.1S 96.9E 1102Z 0.08M / 0.3FT 18MIN
SABANG ID 5.8N 95.3E 1010Z 0.36M / 1.2FT 06MIN
MEULABOH ID 4.1N 96.1E 1007Z 1.06M / 3.5FT 12MIN
DART 23401 8.9N 88.5E 0956Z 0.03M / 0.1FT 06MIN
LAT - LATITUDE (N-NORTH, S-SOUTH)
LON - LONGITUDE (E-EAST, W-WEST)
TIME - TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT (Z IS UTC IS GREENWICH TIME)
AMPL - TSUNAMI AMPLITUDE MEASURED RELATIVE TO NORMAL SEA LEVEL.
IT IS ...NOT... CREST-TO-TROUGH WAVE HEIGHT.
VALUES ARE GIVEN IN BOTH METERS(M) AND FEET(FT).
PER - PERIOD OF TIME IN MINUTES(MIN) FROM ONE WAVE TO THE NEXT.
NOTE - DART MEASUREMENTS ARE FROM THE DEEP OCEAN AND THEY
ARE GENERALLY MUCH SMALLER THAN WOULD BE COASTAL
MEASUREMENTS AT SIMILAR LOCATIONS.
EVALUATION
A SIGNIFICANT TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED BY THIS EARTHQUAKE.
HOWEVER...SEA LEVEL READINGS NOW INDICATE THAT THE THREAT HAS
DIMINISHED OR IS OVER FOR MOST AREAS. THEREFORE THE TSUNAMI
WATCH ISSUED BY THIS CENTER IS NOW CANCELLED.
FOR ANY AFFECTED AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES HAVE OCCURRED FOR AT
LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME OR DAMAGING WAVES
HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL
STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS.
AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE
ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL
AUTHORITIES.
THIS WILL BE THE FINAL BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR THIS EVENT. IN THE CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION...THE
MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.
No it's a joke
Yes
308
WFUS54 KSHV 112101
TORSHV
TXC403-405-112145-
/O.NEW.KSHV.TO.W.0034.120411T2101Z-120411T2145Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
401 PM CDT WED APR 11 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHWESTERN SABINE COUNTY IN EASTERN TEXAS...
NORTHEASTERN SAN AUGUSTINE COUNTY IN EASTERN TEXAS...
* UNTIL 445 PM CDT
* AT 353 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR BLAND
LAKE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
* THE TORNADO WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS IN
NORTHEAST SAN AUGUSTINE AND NORTHWEST SABINE COUNTIES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
LAT...LON 3151 9388 3141 9404 3157 9414 3160 9405
TIME...MOT...LOC 2059Z 317DEG 6KT 3155 9406
I always wait until June to rule out any intrusions of cold air. I've seen it get down into the 40s here in May (southeast Louisiana).
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 156
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
245 PM MDT WED APR 11 2012
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
EASTERN NEW MEXICO
WEST TEXAS
EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 245 PM UNTIL
900 PM MDT.
HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 75
STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 80 MILES NORTHEAST OF
LAS VEGAS NEW MEXICO TO 45 MILES WEST OF DRYDEN TEXAS. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).
REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY
DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 155...
DISCUSSION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN INCREASING OVER THE
HIGHER TERRAIN OF EAST-CENTRAL NM. THIS ACTIVITY...ALONG WITH NEW
DEVELOPMENT WILL AFFECT THE HIGH PLAINS OF EASTERN NM AND WEST TX
THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. COOL TEMPERATURES ALOFT AND
STRENGTHENING WINDS ALOFT WILL PROMOTE A RISK OF HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS IN THE STRONGEST CELLS.
AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT
TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60
KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM
MOTION VECTOR 27025.
...HART
.."Happy Birthday to you"...
Wait, clean up needed in Automotive!!!
Amazing too, a large quake, with lil damage..
Sometimes things are not as bad as first feared..
you here already?
and happy birthday, dont start drinking. :)
Cruel.
060
WFUS54 KSHV 112106
TORSHV
TXC347-419-112145-
/O.NEW.KSHV.TO.W.0035.120411T2106Z-120411T2145Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
406 PM CDT WED APR 11 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHEASTERN NACOGDOCHES COUNTY IN EASTERN TEXAS...
WEST CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN EASTERN TEXAS...
* UNTIL 445 PM CDT
* AT 403 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR STOCKMAN...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ARCADIA AND JERICHO...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A TORNADO WARNING MEANS THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE
STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...
MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
LAT...LON 3171 9421 3166 9439 3176 9448 3181 9440
TIME...MOT...LOC 2106Z 318DEG 7KT 3174 9442
Technically it does, but you won't learn that till geology 101.
Water subducts in trenches and certain other locations.
Under high heat and pressure, water lowers the melt temperature of rocks substantially, and also reacts chemically with many compounds in rock, producing new magmas and new types of minerals, which are then erupted to the surface many ages later as lava.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KORI
Nice... here in Georgia, I wait til the end of April... I saw people starting gardens here in the middle of March!!!
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