Autumn Recap - Third Warmest on Record

news image
Special Stories
20 Dec 2021 1:00 AM
[Flooding in Bellingham, WA during the middle of November. From the City of Bellingham via Storyful] [From NOAA and NOAA NCEI]  The numbers have been crunched for the past few months and the year so far. Here's the latest climate information from this past fall and the year-to-date.

Meteorological Autumn (September, October, November)

It was a warm meteorological autumn (September through November) across the contiguous U.S. The average autumn temperature was 56.7 degrees F (3.1 degrees above average), making it the third-warmest meteorological autumn in the historical record. Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming ranked second warmest, with 14 additional states ranking among their five warmest autumns. The total autumn precipitation was 6.81 inches (0.07 of an inch below average), which ranked in the middle third of the seasonal record. Precipitation was above average across parts of the West, northern Plains, Ohio Valley, Northeast and Southeast. Washington state ranked sixth wettest for this three-month period. Precipitation was below average across portions of the Southwest, northern Rockies, central to southern Rockies, southern Plains, Lower Mississippi River Valley, western Great Lakes and the Carolinas and Virginia.

Year-to-date (January-November)

With just one month left in 2021, the year to date (YTD, January through November) is the seventh-warmest on record — with an average temperature of 55.9 degrees F (2.1 degrees above average). Year-to-date temperatures were above average across the western U.S., central and northern Plains, Great Lakes and East Coast with Maine ranking second warmest and 11 additional states across the Northeast, Great Lakes, northern Plains and West ranking among their five warmest such periods. Temperatures were near average across portions of the southern Plains, central Gulf Coast and Tennessee Valley with pockets of below-average temperatures embedded across the South. Despite the drier-than-normal autumn, the U.S. continued a wet YTD, with a precipitation total of 28.06 inches (0.47 of an inch above average), ranking in the middle-third of the climate record.  January-November precipitation was above average from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes and into portions of the Northeast. Mississippi ranked eighth wettest on record. Precipitation was below average across much of the West, northern Plains and portions of New England and the Carolinas. Montana ranked fourth driest on record for this January-November period.
All Weather News
More
Potentially Catastrophic Flooding Likely for the Midsouth

Potentially Catastrophic Flooding Likely for the Midsouth

Prolonged heavy rain is expected to begin Wed

2 Apr 2025 2:35 AM
FORECAST: Relentless Severe Chances This Week

FORECAST: Relentless Severe Chances This Week

Severe chances have been easy to find in the

2 Apr 2025 2:30 AM
Heavy, Wet Snow on Northern Side of Severe Weather

Heavy, Wet Snow on Northern Side of Severe Weather

NORTHERN U.S. - Winter weather alerts continu

2 Apr 2025 2:25 AM
Wet & Snowy Western Storm System Through Wednesday

Wet & Snowy Western Storm System Through Wednesday

A strong storm system continues in California

2 Apr 2025 1:10 AM
Severe Storms Leave Damage from the Midwest to the Deep South This Week

Severe Storms Leave Damage from the Midwest to the Deep South This Week

Powerful storms raced through the Midwest and

1 Apr 2025 12:16 PM
Slight Risk For Severe Storms Overnight

Slight Risk For Severe Storms Overnight

All modes of severe weather were seen Monday

1 Apr 2025 2:55 AM
Ice Storm In the Great Lakes Through New England

Ice Storm In the Great Lakes Through New England

GREAT LAKES to NORTHEAST - As the freezing li

31 Mar 2025 1:55 AM