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Use these links to access detailed analyses of Global and U.S. data.
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| Rainfall across much of the Far West was near to slightly above normal during July. However, severe long-term moisture deficits remain. |
Ranks for the Pacific Northwest for 2001:
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| July rainfall averaged across the West region was near to above normal (see graph below left). Since the summer is the dry season for this region, the actual rainfall amounts were small. However, long-term drought conditions remain severe. Northern California has experienced record low river flows and low or empty reservoirs. In the Great Basin, some smaller reservoirs in Utah were empty. Some 2001 ranks for the West region: |
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Southeast and Southern Plains Drought
| Locally heavy rains improved drought conditions over parts of the southern Appalachians and Florida during July. The Palmer indices and the Standardized Precipitation Index suggested that the meteorological drought was over (see map below left) but the hydrological drought continued (see map below right). In spite of the recent rains, aquifers in west-central Florida remained below normal, with water restrictions being implemented on the west coast of the state. |
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| Rainfall averaged across the Southeast region was near to well above normal during the last two months (see graph below left). However, long-term deficits remain, with August 2000-July 2001 ranking as the 40th driest such period on record (see graph below right). Severe drought continued in the area around the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers (see maps above), and July was dry across portions of southern Puerto Rico. |
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| Conditions averaged across the South region were hot and dry during July, with the month ranking as the fifth hottest and 20th driest July on record. Conditions were especially extreme in Texas and Oklahoma. |  larger image |
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Some Texas statewide temperature and precipitation ranks include:
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Some Oklahoma statewide temperature and precipitation ranks include:
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| Western and central Texas was an "epicenter" of heat and drought this month, with July marking the second consecutive month of extremely dry conditions. The region had the third warmest (see graph below right) and tenth driest July in the 1895-2001 record, third driest (see graph below left) and fifth warmest June-July, third warmest and fourth driest April-July, and 13th warmest February-July. Among the Texas stations setting records was Amarillo with the driest July and a record number of days in July with maximum temperatures of 100 degrees (F) or hotter. |
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Northeast and Great Lakes Region Dryness
| July 2001 was dry over much of the Northeast and Great Lakes (East North Central) regions. The Northeast had the seventh driest July regionwide in the 1895-2001 record (see graph below right). Other 2001 ranks include: |
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| Some communities experienced record dryness, including the driest April-July on record at Burlington, Vermont. In northern Vermont and western and northern New York, the dry conditions of the last several months have begun to reduce streamflows, stress vegetation, and prompt water restrictions in some communities. The dryness was impacting agriculture in Wisconsin. The hot, dry weather prompted some parched communities in the Cleveland, Ohio area to issue watering restrictions. |
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Additional Contacts:
| Damage due to the drought has been summarized by NOAA and the Office of Global Programs in the Climatological Impacts section of the Climate Information Project. Crop impact information can be found at the USDA NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) and Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin pages. Drought statements by local National Weather Service Offices can be found at the NWS Hydrologic Information Center. Drought threat assessments and other information can be found at NOAA's Drought Information Center. Additional drought information can be found at the National Drought Mitigation Center, the USDA's National Agricultural Library, the interim National Drought Council, and the NOAA Paleoclimatology Program. The following states have set up web pages detailing their plans to handle drought emergencies:
New Mexico - North Carolina - Oklahoma-1 - Oklahoma-2 - South Carolina - Texas - Washington For additional information on the 2001 wildfire season please see the National Interagency Fire Center web site or the U.S. Forest Service Fire and Aviation web site. NCDC's Drought Recovery Page shows the precipitation required to end or ameliorate droughts and the probability of receiving the required precipitation. Additional climate monitoring graphics can be found at the Climate Prediction Center's monitoring pages: |
For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:
Climate Services DivisionFor further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: questions@ncdc.noaa.gov
Richard Heim
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Richard.Heim@noaa.gov
-or-
Jay Lawrimore
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov
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