U.S. autumn temperature 2.8ºC above average
The U.S. temperature in autumn was 14.2ºC, 2.8 degrees above average [57.6 degrees F, 4.1 degrees a.a.] surpassing last fall as the warmest on record, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
- November was the 2nd warmest on record, with an average temperature across the contiguous U.S. of 8.9ºC, 3.5 degrees above average [48 degrees F, 6.3 degrees a.a. ]
- Every state in the Continental U.S. and Alaska were warmer than average during November. The precipitation total for the month was 0.50 inch below average.
- The year-to-date (January-November) average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 13.8ºC, 1.7 degrees above average [56.9 degrees F, 3.1 degrees a.a.]
November’s Selected Climate Events:
- Drought: Extreme to exceptional drought in the Lower 48 increased from 4.9% to 8.7% of the area; in the Southeast from 19.7% to 36.2%.
- Wildfires: In November, 8,560 wildfires raged across the Continental U.S. and burned more than 275,000 acres, most notably in the Southeast.
- North Dakota Temperatures rocketed 7.1ºC [12.8 degrees F] above average, about 1.1 degrees above the previous record set in 1999.
- Alaska experienced its warmest year to date on record, with the mercury rising more than 3.3 degrees [6 degrees F] above average.
- Pacific Northwest Washington state had record rainfall.
NOAA’s report, related maps and images are posted at the NCEI website.
Fire Earth 