Ultimately, the year ended with 82 percent of the region in drought, which was up 70 percent from the beginning of the year. Six hurricanes made U.S. landfall, tying 1886 and 1985 for the most U.S. hurricane landfalls in a single season. Fire risk has increased across the state. Twenty-seven of the 30 named storms were the earliest named storm, for their respective number, on record. For several other locations in the Northeast, the storms daily or two-day snow total ranked among the ten greatest for December or any month on record. For instance, severe drought eased everywhere except southeastern New Hampshire and coastal Maine and moderate drought eased in a large portion of New England. The storms winds also downed trees and power lines. What is the formula for calculating rainfall? The year started off on the warm side, with winter temperatures generally above normal, except for western areas of Colorado and Wyoming. In addition, Baltimore, Maryland; Hartford, Connecticut; LaGuardia Airport, New York; Philadelphia and Scranton, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; and Washington, D.C. recorded their greatest number of days with a high of at least 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) for any month on record. In Alaska, annual temperatures were above normal along the North Slope, in western coastal Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands. As the storm rapidly strengthened, it set the record for the lowest February air pressure in Hartford (based on preliminary data) and produced damaging wind gusts of up to 80 mph (36 m/s), particularly in coastal areas. The annual precipitation totals are averages based on weather data collected from 1991 to 2020 for the US National Centers for Environmental Information. Choosing a different baseline period would not change the shape of the data over time. Severe drought was introduced in Maine and New York, while moderate drought expanded and abnormal dryness encompassed nearly half the region. Portions of West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic also saw freezing rain, with ice accumulations of up to 0.41 inches (10.41 mm), and sleet. California and Nevada started the year with no drought present. Prolonged saturated soil caused some farmers to abandon portions of their soybean and cotton fields. In addition, there were two EF-0 tornadoes, one in eastern New York and one in eastern Massachusetts. From July 19th through the 22nd, Norfolk, VA observed its longest streak of 4 consecutive days with a maximum temperature of at least 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C). "Annual Precipitation in The United States in 2021, by State (in Inches). Numerous long-term stations observed their highest or second highest annual count of days with a minimum temperature at or above 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C), including West Palm Beach, FL (18882020; 261 days, 71 percent of the year), Orlando, FL (18922020; 177 days, 48 percent of the year), Lumberton, NC (19032020; 87 days, 24 percent of the year), and Roanoke, VA (19122020; 45 days, 12 percent of the year). At the beginning of 2020, only 12 percent of the High Plains region was experiencing moderate to exceptional drought (D1-D4), and these conditions were largely confined to western and southern areas of Colorado and Kansas. Within the year there was a slight increase in summer, another slight decrease during autumn, and finally a substantial increase during the winter. Freezing rain accumulations of 0.05 to as much as half of an inch (1 to as much as 13 mm) occurred in central and western portions of North Carolina, as well as southwestern, central, and northern parts of Virginia. Annual precipitation totals ranged from 12 to more than 20 inches (305 to more than 508 mm) above average in these areas. The southern deserts frequently experience summer temperatures between 105F and 115F. Holly National Weather Service forecast area. Some branches and wires were downed in parts of Massachusetts due to snowfall and/or gusty winds. On the 11th, Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport, NC (20002020) observed its second wettest day for any month on record, with 6.02 inches (153 mm) of precipitation. Summer was warmer and wetter than normal for most of the Southern Region. Ohio ranked as the 7th warmest in its history and Michigan ranked 10th. For the year, warm daily records outpaced cold records by a margin of approximately two to one. This years tornado reports were particularly low, with only 129 reported through October. Temperature plays a large role in Californias annual water conditions. On the temperature map (top), places where the annual average temperature is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit are white. Precipitation for the year was above normal in the Interior and Southeast, and below normal in Southcentral and the Aleutian Islands. This map shows relative values of estimated soil moisture at a depth of 100 cm, as calculated from satellite-based observations. California, Nevada, and the Four Corners states all received below normal precipitation with some pockets of above normal in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. The most costly events of the year include: Hurricane Laura, the Western wildfires and the Midwest derecho. Three years of drought in California are putting a strain on groundwater wells. There were no areas of below-average annual temperatures observed across the Lower 48 during 2020. U.S. average annual temperature 1895-2021, Major U.S. cities with the most rainy days 1981-2010, U.S. average monthly temperature 2019-2022. Doing nothing to protect minority populations from inequitable health harms resulting from the health care industry's greenhouse gas emissions constitutes environmental and institutional racism. May is the rainiest month in Virginia with 11.3 days of rain, and October is the driest month with only 7.7 rainy days. Straight-line winds of up to 80 mph (36 m/s) caused extensive damage in several locations. Prior to this, there had only been four February tornadoes in Maryland between 1950 and 2019. 3 NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Indeed, nearly the entire Southeast region was covered with above-average annual precipitation totals, except for a few small pockets of unusual dryness in southwestern Alabama, the Big Bend region of Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Even as the winter started, drought conditions continued to expand, which is highly unusual for the High Plains at this time of the year. In fact, by the end of September, all of Rhode Island was in an extreme drought for the first time in the U.S. Drought Monitors history (since 2000). 2 NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). From May 19th through the 21st, a slow-moving upper-level low ushered in a deep stream of moisture across the western Carolinas and southwestern Virginia, with 72-hour precipitation totals exceeding 8 inches (203 mm) and numerous reports of localized flooding. Mean annual temperatures range from 10C in the south to 16C in the north of New Zealand. In fact, some waterways had daily record low flows and a few, including the Aroostook River in northern Maine, recorded all-time record-low flows. The map of California depicts vegetation conditions across the state based on the Evaporative Stress Index (ESI). These dry conditions were coupled with extreme heat, which helped fuel some of the largest wildfires in Colorados history. The U.S. Farther inland, winds gusted over 50 mph (22 m/s) in northern Georgia, Upstate South Carolina, and North Carolina, resulting in widespread downed trees and power outages. State names are linked to more detailed rain and snow information for that state. Mean rainfall in Australia 2021, by state. A few small pockets of moderate drought developed in north-central Puerto Rico during late December. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. The contiguous United States has a big range of climates and microclimates. As much as 5 inches (127 mm) of rain fell in a two-hour period on September 10, leading to flash flooding in Washington, D.C., and surrounding suburbs. During a four-day period (August 16-19) 8,532 lightning strikes were detected in central and northern California that ignited 362 new fires, including the August Complex which burned 1,032,649 acres. This home has an oversized lot with a fenced in back yard perfect for the kids or your animals to run free! The lack of a need for supplemental drying was a benefit for farmers. The month with the most rain in Bellingham is November, with an average rainfall of 7. Average annual rainfall of the states of India. almost 60 percent of our State's water supply in drought years. On June 26th, Tampa, FL tied its warmest daily maximum temperature for any month on record, at 99 degrees F (37.2 degrees C). temperatures present several challenges to managing the states water supply. For additional details regarding these highlights, please see the following pages: *Temperature and precipitation values and ranks are based on preliminary data. To the north, in western Pennsylvania, three weak (EF-0 or EF-1) tornadoes damaged trees and buildings, the Pittsburgh International Airport recorded its second highest thunderstorm wind gust on record at 75 mph (34 m/s), and a hangar and plane were destroyed at the Arnold Palmer Municipal Airport. Damage in the form of snapped and uprooted trees occurred to the west of the school, along with the more significant roof uplift and partial outer wall collapse of the schools gymnasium. This resulted in many locations ranking among the top 10 snowiest Septembers and Octobers on record. Climate at a glance. Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (18842020) and Hickory, NC (19492020) observed their wettest February day on record, with 5.36 and 5.31 inches (136 and 135 mm) of precipitation, respectively. Like most years, 2020 temperatures were quite variable throughout the year. This marked a sharp annual increase from the 2021 figures of $91 million and 56 cents per share. Flooding and flash flooding caused fatalities in the Midwest. Use the Climate Data lookup to find climate information by ZIP Code. The United States receives an average of 38 inches of rain per year. It was also just the third to make it as far north as Wisconsin. All state rankings are based on the period spanning 1895-2020. Please click here to see any active alerts. While 25 long-term stations observed average daily maximum temperatures that were ranked within their five warmest values on record, more than four times the number of stations (102) observed average daily minimum temperatures that were ranked within their five warmest values on record.