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U.S. temperature and drought: Recent anomalies and trends

  1. T. R. Karl1,
  2. B. E. Gleason1,
  3. M. J. Menne1,
  4. J. R. McMahon2,
  5. R. R. Heim Jr.1,
  6. M. J. Brewer1,
  7. K. E. Kunkel3,
  8. D. S. Arndt1,
  9. J. L. Privette1,
  10. J. J. Bates1,
  11. P. Y. Groisman4,
  12. D. R. Easterling1

Article first published online: 15 NOV 2012

DOI: 10.1029/2012EO470001

Issue

Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Volume 93, Issue 47, pages 473–474, 20 November 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Karl, T. R., et al., (2012), U.S. temperature and drought: Recent anomalies and trends, Eos Trans. AGU, 93(47), 473.

Author Information

  1. 1

    National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, N. C., USA

  2. 2

    The Baldwin Group, Asheville, N. C., USA

  3. 3

    Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, Asheville, N. C., USA

  4. 4

    University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Asheville, N. C., USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 15 NOV 2012
  2. Article first published online: 15 NOV 2012

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Keywords:

  • drought;
  • heatwave;
  • extreme temperatures

The spring and summer (March through August) of 2011–2012 set many new climatological records across the contiguous United States, including the hottest month in the instrumental record: July 2012. Various measures of temperature extremes and drought severity serve to put this period into historical perspective (1895 to present) and to assess to what extent the recent anomalies are consistent with observed trends. During spring and summer, anomalously high temperatures can combine with unusually dry conditions to amplify temperature and drought feedbacks. Observational data from 2011 and 2012 are strongly suggestive of such an amplification and reveal a number of significant trends for various measures of high temperatures in the United States.

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