It’s been a July of contrasts over the Western United States (particularly compared to NORMAL) with record hot and dryness for the Pacific Northwest, cool and wet over the Southwest. The heat has been intensifying in response to worsening drought up in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA has just recorded an all-time record 11 days at or above 90F this year. It’s also been Seattle’s warmest July too.
However, it’s been an entirely different story down in the Southwest where it’s been opposite, largely down to one event. Tropical cyclone Dolores which produced up to 600% of normal rainfall across much of Southern and Central California within just a couple of days.
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The 1.71 inches which fell in San Diego was all but unprecedented. Would have been impressive even in January but to fall in the heart of the dry season and driest month of the year, remarkable. I believe that total was over 2000% of normal.
The 0.36 inches of rain which fell in Downtown Los Angeles within a 24-hour period was the wettest July day in nearly 130 years.
July 2015 temperature anomaly.
July 2015 will be remembered for it’s record rains and unusual cool. For the first time since 1993, Las Vegas failed to reach 110F in July.
While it was of course dry too, the rain which did fall across California was record-breaking, especially given the fact that it’s not meant to rain in July.
San Diego Wetter Than San Juan In July 2015?
Located deep within the tropics and surrounded by bath tub warm water, San Juan, Puerto Rico typically sees a lot of rain during the summer period but a drought has been ongoing due to a strengthening El Nino and it appears to be worsening by the day. Typically, San Juan would receive an incredible 169 times the rain in July that San Diego, CA would.
Unlike San Juan, for San Diego, July is typically the driest month. As an actual fact, San Diego has seen MORE RAIN (1.71″) than San Juan, Puerto Rico (1.61″) in July. A first in history perhaps?
YTD, San Juan has an 11″ rainfall deficit.
It’s been the 2nd driest July for St Thomas, Virgin Islands.
Record strength shear and large amounts of choking Saharan dust has greatly attributed to the ongoing Caribbean drought. Powerful mid and upper level winds don’t support lift and tropical cyclone development or even the typical convective pulses which usually form during each hot, humid afternoon.
In stark contrast to the record wet May and June in Waco, TX, they recorded the 3rd driest July. Remember 1998? Model projections are going with the strong El Nino trend of drier, warmer July-September periods in Texas/Southeast but wetter further north and west.
4th wettest July for Phoenix, AZ.
This July will be remembered for it’s rain and cool in St John’s Newfoundland.
The CFSv2 has a cool August with plenty of wet but notice the dry from Texas to the Carolinas. This reflects back end’s the summer during strong El Nino’s. Extreme example is 1998.
Upcoming 15 day rainfall anomalies are going right to the CFSv2 August solution with dry from TX to NC.
No video today but will have one for you tomorrow.
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