Refining the ENSO 2023-24 Outlook by Including Multivariate ENSO Index
09/10/2023, 4:22 pm EDT
Summer 2023 Was 15th Hottest on Record Although Population Weight CDD Were Diminished
09/12/2023, 11:52 am EDT
Highlight: U.S. summer ranked 9th hottest on record. Louisiana hardest hit for heat and dryness.
Discussion: The August 2023 state rankings for temperature and precipitation were released by NOAA a short time ago. In August, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida observed their hottest August in the 129-year climatology (Fig. 1). Another 9 states observed top 10 hottest on record including the second hottest August on record for Texas. The national rank for August was 9th hottest on record. The Ohio Valley to New England observed near normal temperature.
Nationally, the month of August was 42nd wettest on record and featured many extremes (Fig. 2). California and Nevada observed their 2nd wettest August on record while a total of 11 states received their top 10 wettest months of late summer. Meanwhile, Louisiana experienced their driest August on record. Texas and Mississippi each observed top 10 driest months of August.
The meteorological summer 2023 season was the 15th hottest on record for the U.S. (Fig. 3). Louisiana observed their hottest summer on record. Texas and Florida observed their 2nd hottest summer on record. New Mexico and Mississippi observed a top-6 hottest summer season. The Ohio and Tennessee Valley(s) managed a slightly cooler than normal summer of 2023.
Extreme precipitation was observed for meteorological summer 2023. The wettest summertime on record was witnessed in Wyoming, Vermont, and New Hampshire (Fig. 4). Top 10 wettest August on record were observed in 8 other states including California and Maine. Dry conditions stretched across the Southwest U.S. to Louisiana. New Mexico and Louisiana observed their 3rd driest summer seasons on record. The Upper Midwest observed a top-5 driest summer.
Fig. 1: NOAA state rankings for August 2023 temperature based on the 129-year climatology.
Fig. 2: NOAA state rankings for August 2023 precipitation based on the 129-year climatology.
Fig. 3: NOAA state rankings for JUN/JUL/AUG 2023 temperature based on the 129-year climatology.
Fig. 4: NOAA state rankings for JUN/JUL/AUG 2023 precipitation based on the 129-year climatology.