Winter 2020-2021 Newsletter |
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Dear Florida Climate Center friends, |
We'd like to present you with the Winter 2020-2021 edition of our newsletter. In this newsletter, you'll find our November, December, and January monthly climate summaries and an update on the activities that we've recently been engaged in. If you have any questions, please send us an e-mail at climate@coaps.fsu.edu.
Thanks,
The Staff of the Florida Climate Center
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Monthly Climate Summaries for Florida |
The Florida Climate Center's November, December, and January Climate Summaries for Florida are now available. These summaries provide an analysis of temperature and precipitation patterns during the months November through January across the state, along with data on hazardous weather, drought, and any records tied or broken.
In November, average temperatures were well above normal across Florida. Departures from normal ranged from +1.4 ̊F in Key West to +6.5 ̊F in Pensacola. Many daily high maximum and minimum records were set throughout the month. In December, average temperatures were below normal across the state. Departures from normal ranged from near normal in Pensacola, at +0.6 ̊F, to -3.2 ̊F in Orlando. Average minimum temperatures were well below normal in December, as much as -6 ̊F in parts of central Florida. During January, average temperatures returned to near normal with most locations within 2 ̊F of normal, though most locations were slightly above normal.
The figures below are graphical depictions of the monthly rainfall departure from normal (in inches) for November (top), December (middle), and January (bottom) (courtesy of the National Weather Service). Rainfall was above normal for the southern half of the state in November, influenced by Tropical Storm Eta, while drier conditions set in during the remainder of the period.
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A La Niña Advisory remained in effect throughout the winter, with sea surface temperatures below average across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. La Niña conditions are forecasted to continue through the Northern Hemisphere early spring from January to March (~95% chance) and possibly transitioning to ENSO-neutral conditions during spring (55% chance from April to June). As La Niña conditions persist, above-average temperatures and drier than average conditions are expected for much of the southern tier of the U.S. over the next few months.
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Florida Climate Center Presents to Virtual FSU College of Law Class |
On February 10th, state climatologist David Zierden spoke to the Florida State University College of Law's Environmental, Energy, and Land Use virtual class. David spoke about climate variability in Florida and how this will impact climate and weather threats.
A recording of the presentation is available HERE.
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Tristate Row Crop Working Group February Meeting |
The Tristate Row Crop Working Group met virtually on February 23rd. This working group is a network of producers, Extension professionals, scientists, government agencies, and private enterprises from Florida, Alabama and Georgia. At the February meeting, the group discussed sudden stratospheric warming events over the northern hemisphere polar region, which have affected winter temperatures and weather patterns in the U.S. Sudden stratospheric warming is known as a precursor to disruptions in the polar vortex and the increased risk of winter storms and cold air outbreaks over the Southeast U.S. and other regions across the northern hemisphere. The group discussed how these events are interrelated with the Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation and how they can override other modes of climate variability, specifically the El Niño/La Niña cycle, and traditional seasonal climate forecasts.
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The goals of the Tristate Row Crop Working Group are to improve climate risk management in row crop agriculture through on-going knowledge exchange, dialog and learning among stakeholders from the tristate region of the Southeast U.S. Since 2010, biannual gatherings have created opportunities to examine diverse management practices, review scientific information, collaboratively assess adaptive strategies, and generate new ideas for building more resilient and sustainable row crop production systems. |
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NOAA December Climate Briefing |
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On December 17, 2020, David Zierden was a guest speaker for NOAA's Monthly Climate Briefings webinar series. He discussed the record heat across Florida during the past few years.
These monthly climate briefings are available from NOAA HERE.
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Florida Climate Center in the News |
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Southeast Climate Monthly Webinar Series
This webinar series is hosted by the Southeast Regional Climate Center in partnership with the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the NOAA National Weather Service. These webinars are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 10am ET. Mark your calendars for the next webinar on Tuesday, March 9th, which will include a
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Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Drought and Water Monthly Webinars
These monthly webinars provide updated information on the climate, water, and drought status of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. These webinars are sponsored by the Auburn University Water Resources Center and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). The next briefing will be Tuesday, March 23rd at 1pm ET. Register here.
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The Florida Climate Center is part of a three-tiered system of national, regional, and state climate offices, including NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI - in Asheville, North Carolina) and the Southeast Regional Climate Center (in Chapel Hill, North Carolina). The Florida State Climatologist and staff at the Florida Climate Center provide the following information and services to the people of Florida:
Climate Data
Historical weather observations for weather stations throughout the state of Florida. We are able to provide data for most stations from 1948-present.
Climate Information
Long-term historical averages for various stations, climate divisions, and the entire state.
Extreme Event Records
Information and analyses on extreme events such as freezes, droughts, floods and hurricanes.
Special Analysis
With their vast knowledge of El Niño, La Niña and climate variability, the State Climatologist and staff can offer expert insight into Florida's climate trends.
Outreach
Activities, presentations, and workshops that inform and educate the people of Florida about current and emerging climate issues. We also coordinate volunteers for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS).
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