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State March 2012 Report on Climate Change

Climate Summary: Three in a row for warm, dry months Temperature and Precipitation by climate division Departures from Normal for February 2012 Based on Preliminary Data February 2012 continued the winter-long pattern of warm, dry months for North Carolina. Most of the state received less than 1/2 of normal precipitation, and most of the state experienced average temperatures more than 3 degrees F above normal. Overall, statewide average precipitation and temperatures ranked as the 25th driest and 25th warmest since records begin in 1895. The first (and perhaps only) taste of snow for lower elevations came on February 19-20. There were also several reports of damaging winds and small hail from strong thunderstorm on February 22-23. Precipitation for February 2012 Based on estimates from NWS Radar Data courtesy NWS/NCEP Precipitation for February 2012: Percent of Normal Based on estimates from NWS Radar Data courtesy NWS/NCEP Local Storm Reports for February 2012 Preliminary Count of LSRs courtesy National Weather Service http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/lsrdb/index.php

 

Winter in Review: La Niña brought a very warm & dry winter Temperature and Precipitation by climate division Departures from Normal for Winter 2012 (Dec 2011 – Feb 2012) Based on Preliminary Data While data is still preliminary, this past winter will likely go down as the 8th warmest and 6th driest on record for North Carolina (statewide data since 1895). Indeed, most of North Carolina has effectively missed out on an entire month’s worth of rain. Many locations – including Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Wilmington – had average maximum temperatures for the winter that ranked in the top 5 on record. This pattern is typical of La Niña winters. La Niña events are characterized by below-normal ocean temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. These cooler ocean temperatures affect atmospheric weather patterns across the globe, and tend to be associated with dry winters especially in central and eastern North Carolina. More about La Niña and its impacts to NC can be found on the Global Patterns page of our website.