More weather extremes for the US

[Te Puke Weather]

This past winter the eastern two-thirds of the continental US saw record-breaking heat whilst the western third was generally a bit cooler than normal.

This past week, that all changed.

A potent late season winter storm rolled up the east coast of the US.   A “Nor’easter” dumped up to 60 cm of snow and 120 mm of rain on states like New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  It was the biggest late season Nor’easter in over 80 years.

Whilst that was happening, on the other side of the country record-breaking heat was everywhere.

On Tuesday, over 330 observed daytime highs either tied or broke previous records.  In fact, since Sunday, nearly every observing station from Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains has recorded a high temperature that broke a record, tied a record or came within 2 degrees Fahrenheit of the record.

That includes Death Valley, California.  On Sunday, they broke their record for the hottest temperature in April, 113 F (45 C).  Their previous record was 111 F.

That record heat is now moving east and expected to affect the Great Plains.  States from Nebraska to Texas are expected to see records fall with highs pushing close to 100 F in some locations.

Image courtesy of NOAA/NWS

By WeatherWatch Analyst Howard Joseph

http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/more-weather-extremes-us

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[Mark]

good post Te Puke Weather
Heres some more.

JeffMasters, 2:37 PM GMT on April 24, 2012
 
An unprecedented April heat wave brought a second day of sizzling temperatures to the Western U.S. yesterday, where temperatures ranging 20 - 30 degrees above normal have toppled numerous all-time April heat records. Nearly every weather station in the Inter-mountain West has broken, tied, or come within 1 - 2 °F of their all-time record April heat record since Sunday. Most notably, the 113°F measured at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California on Sunday, April 22 was tied for the hottest April temperature ever recorded in the U.S. According to wunderground weather historian Christopher C. Burt, the hottest reliable April temperature ever measured in the U.S. was 113°F in Parker, Arizona in 1898. A 113°F reading was also taken at Catarina, Texas in April 1984, and at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley on April 24, 1946. A hotter 118°F reading measured at Volcano Springs, CA in April 1898 is considered unreliable, since we don't know much about the exposure conditions or if the thermometers were even in shelters at remote California desert stations back in the 1880s and 1890s. The previous hottest April day in Death Valley was 111°F. Yesterday, the high temperature in Death Valley "cooled off" to 110°F, merely the fourth highest April temperature ever measured there. The heat wave peaked Sunday and Monday, and temperatures will be closer to normal for the remainder of the week.
 
http://patriciashannon.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/death-valleys-113-hottest-april.html


What was the year that the 111F was recorded?.

[Mark]

Found it The 111F was recorded in 1981.