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Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Home Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Tropics Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Forecast

 

  Extratropical Highlights

  Table of Indices  (Table 3)

  Global Surface Temperature  E1

  Temperature Anomalies (Land Only)  E2

  Global Precipitation  E3

  Regional Precip Estimates (a)  E4

  Regional Precip Estimates (b)  E5

  U.S. Precipitation  E6

  Northern Hemisphere

  Southern Hemisphere

  Stratosphere

  Appendix 2: Additional Figures

Extratropical Highlights

FEBRUARY 2024

Extratropical Highlights –February 2024

 

1. Northern Hemisphere

The 500-hPa circulation during February resembled an anomalous wavetrain in quadrature with four minima and maxima. Below-average height anomalies flanked both U.S. coasts, the Norwegian Sea, and the Bering Sea (Fig. E9). Above-average height anomalies were observed over most of Canada, the Mediterranean, Europe, the Middle East, and the Sea of Japan (Fig. E9). The main land-surface temperature signals for the month of February were dominated by widespread warmer than average conditions to include above-average temperatures for most of North America, Europe, and parts of Russia (Fig. E1). The main land-surface precipitation signals include drier than average conditions for the Alaska Panhandle, parts of Canada and the U.S., and wetter than average conditions in Northern Europe (Figs. E3, E4).

 

a. North America

The February height pattern over North America was distinguished by anomalous troughing off both the west and east coasts of the U.S., and anomalous ridging over the Great Lakes region and northward to the Hudson Bay in Canada (Fig. E9). Alaska observed largely near-normal heights for the month of February with the exception of below-average heights along the westernmost coast (Fig. E9). Nearly all of North America recorded above-average temperatures for the month of February. Many areas recorded temperatures in the highest 90th percentile of occurrences (Fig. E1). The overall precipitation pattern across the U.S. resembled a canonical teleconnection pattern concurrent with moderate El Nino conditions. Wetter than average conditions were recorded across most of California with Southern California, and the Pacific Northwest, recording values in the highest 80th percentile or higher, along with the Intermountain West (Figs. E3, E5, E6). Drier than average conditions were recorded for much of the Upper Mississippi Valley with the Midwest recording precipitation in the lowest 20th percentile of occurrences (Figs. E3, E5, E6).

 

b. Eurasia

Centered over the Norwegian Sea, and north of the United Kingdom, anomalous troughing was observed during the month of February (Fig. E9). Anomalous troughing was also recorded over central Russia, and the coastal Koryak Mountains of eastern Russia (Fig. E9). Conversely, to the south of the United Kingdom, anomalous ridging was observed for the rest of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East (Fig. E9). This pattern contributed to the strongly above-average rainfall in Northern Europe where many areas recorded rainfall totals in the highest 90th percentile of occurrences (Figs. E3, E4). The anomalous ridging pattern in Southern Europe also contributed to the strongly above-average temperatures recorded in the region, to include a large area from France to Ukraine where temperatures were recorded in the highest 90th percentile of occurrences (Fig. E1).

 

2. Southern Hemisphere

The 500-hPa pattern in the Southern Hemisphere featured a center of anomalous troughing over the polar latitudes and anomalous ridging over the adjacent middle latitudes (Fig. E15). A troughing minima was located over Wilkes Land in Antarctica and a ridging maxima was located between South Africa and Queen Maud Land in Antarctica (Fig. E15). Across much of South America, warmer than average, and drier than average conditions were observed and both were recorded in their respective highest 90th, and lowest 10th, percentile of occurrences (Figs. E1, E3, E4). Coastal areas of Africa observed warmer than average temperatures and the southern half of Africa observed drier than average conditions, while south of the Gulf of Aden, and toward Lake Victoria, observed wetter than average conditions for the month of February (Figs. E1, E3, E4). The South African monsoon season runs from October to April. During February, rainfall was well below-average, reaching the lowest 10th percentile of occurrences for southern Africa (Fig. E4). These dry conditions follow dry conditions in the previous month (Fig. E4).


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