Through climate analysis, National Climatic Data Center scientists have identified nine climatically consistent regions within the contiguous United States which are useful for putting current climate anomalies into an historical perspective.

Additional information about current climate anomalies can be found at the respective Web Pages of the Southern Regional Climate Center, Western Regional Climate Center, Midwest Regional Climate Center, Southeast Regional Climate Center, High Plains Regional Climate Center, and the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Table 1 shows precipitation and temperature ranks for each of the 9 regions and the nation for the Autumn Season (September-November) 1999, based on the period 1895-1999. 1 = DRIEST/COLDEST, 105 = WETTEST/WARMEST

       REGION                PRECIPITATION  TEMPERATURE
       ------                -------------  -----------

      NORTHEAST                   98             93
      EAST NORTH CENTRAL           7             92
      CENTRAL                      7             82

      SOUTHEAST                   82             61
      WEST NORTH CENTRAL          30             99
      SOUTH                        7             83

      SOUTHWEST                    9             99
      NORTHWEST                   28             94
      WEST                        24            105

      NATIONAL                    11            101

It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks in Table 1 are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed.

Table 2 shows historical extremes for Autumn (September-November), the 1961-1990 normal, and the Autumn 1999 value for each of the 9 regions and the contiguous U.S. for precipitation and temperature.

                             PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
                           DRIEST     WETTEST   NORMAL  1999
       REGION            VALUE YEAR VALUE YEAR   PCPN   PCPN
       ------            ---------- ----------  ------ ------

      NORTHEAST           5.01 1908 15.54 1977  10.82  13.58
      EAST NORTH CENTRAL  2.92 1976 11.82 1941   7.96   4.76
      CENTRAL             3.99 1953 14.92 1926  10.20   5.74

      SOUTHEAST           4.27 1931 17.71 1929  10.79  12.93
      WEST NORTH CENTRAL  1.21 1952  6.41 1946   3.44   2.83
      SOUTH               3.79 1917 13.88 1986   9.19   4.82

      SOUTHWEST           0.95 1956  6.51 1972   3.48   1.85
      NORTHWEST           1.51 1936 11.35 1973   7.16   5.95
      WEST                0.38 1929  7.46 1982   3.85   2.14

      NATIONAL            4.14 1952  9.48 1985   7.11   5.35*

                          * PRELIMINARY VALUE, CONFIDENCE
                            INTERVAL + OR - 0.29 INCHES

                             TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
                           COLDEST    WARMEST   NORMAL  1999
       REGION            VALUE YEAR VALUE YEAR   TEMP   TEMP
       ------            ---------- ----------  ------ ------

      NORTHEAST           45.2 1917  53.8 1931   49.1   51.1
      EAST NORTH CENTRAL  41.6 1896  52.5 1931   46.6   48.9
      CENTRAL             49.9 1976  61.2 1931   55.4   57.1

      SOUTHEAST           59.5 1976  67.9 1919   63.9   64.4
      WEST NORTH CENTRAL  38.0 1985  50.3 1963   44.5   47.3
      SOUTH               58.2 1976  68.2 1931   63.2   64.7

      SOUTHWEST           49.9 1912  56.1 1963   52.9   55.0
      NORTHWEST           41.9 1985  50.3 1963   47.3   49.4
      WEST                53.2 1985  59.2 1999   56.3   59.2

      NATIONAL            51.3 1976  57.0 1963   54.0   55.9*

                          * PRELIMINARY VALUE, CONFIDENCE
                            INTERVAL + OR - 0.2 DEG. F. 

Autumn (September-November), 1999 Temperature and Precipitation

Autumn 1999 was the eighth wettest autumn on record for the Northeast Region. Three of the last five autumn seasons have been above the long-term mean for precipitation for this region.

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Preliminary data for the East-North Central Region ranked autumn 1999 as the seventh driest such season since records began in 1895.

Based upon preliminary data, autumn 1999 was the warmest autumn season on record for West Region. Four of the last five autumn seasons have been above the long-term mean.

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September-November 1999 Statewide Temperature and Precipitation

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It was the warmest autumn season on record for Nevada. Twelve other states ranked within the top ten warm portion of the distribution for autumn 1999, including: Arizona - 4th warmest California - 4th warmest New Hampshire - 5th warmest Vermont - 5th warmest No state ranked within the top ten cool portion of the distribution.

Ten states ranked within the top ten dry portion of the historical distribution for autumn 1999, including the driest autumn since 1895 for Utah. Other ranks included: Texas - 2nd driest Illinois - 4th driest Indiana - 4th driest Nebraska - 4th driest Nevada - 4th driest Wisconsin - 5th driest Autumn 1999 was the wettest such season on record for North Carolina. It was the 2nd wettest for Delaware sixth wettest for Maryland, and sixth wettest for Virginia.

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It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks on these maps are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed.

For more information, refer to ...References:

Thomas R. Karl and Albert J. Koscielny, 1982: "Drought in the United States: 1895-1981." Journal of Climatology, vol. 2, pp. 313-329.

Thomas R. Karl and Walter James Koss, 1984: "Regional and National Monthly, Seasonal, and Annual Temperature Weighted by Area, 1895-1983." Historical Climatology Series 4-3, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC, 38 pp.

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.

Historical precipitation and temperature ranking maps are also available on the Internet at: http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/regional_monitoring/usa.html.

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. The long lead climate outlooks are available on the Internet at: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov.

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
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: ncdc.orders@noaa.gov

William Brown
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: william.brown@noaa.gov

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

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