Maryland Climate Bulletin for April 2023

[dallen7908]

Here is the April 2023 Maryland Climate Bulletin prepared by state climatologist Alfredo Ruiz-Barradas

https://www2.atmos.umd.edu/~climate/Bulletin/bulletin_mdsco_current.pdf

 

Points to highlight are:

1) Warmer-than-normal conditions still persisted in the state since the beginning of the year. Wetter-than-normal conditions appeared on the western and eastern shores.

2) Statewide warm anomalies increased from March, and dry anomalies changed to wet anomalies.

3) While the extent of the surface under drought conditions (abnormally dry and moderate drouth) decreased from March to April, abnormally dry conditions developed to the west of Washington County.

4) Most counties had mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures within the top five warmest Aprils since 1895. The statewide maximum temperature was the warmest on record, while the mean temperature was the second warmest.

5) Significant, century-plus (1895-2023) warming trends are identified over the state, especially over Baltimore City (3.9°F/century). However, significant wet trends are only found over Allegany and Garrett counties (0.6 in/century).

6) A significant increasing trend in statewide mean temperature (2.8°F/century) is coincident with a significant decreasing trend in statewide heating degree-days (-84.21°FDD).

 

The bulletin is issued once per month to indicate the state's recent monthly surface temperature and precipitation conditions in a simple format, allowing Marylanders to understand regional climate variations better.

 

This publication is part of our efforts to make the Maryland State Climatologist Office more visible across the State and be central to all discussions of regional climate variability and change.

 

Please help disseminate this bulletin.

 

Thank you, 

 

Alfredo

 

[Eskimo Joe]

Alfredo is a great climatologist. Really digging the newsletters. 

[dallen7908]

Good Afternoon,

 

We now share the May 2023 Maryland Climate Bulletin. You can access it from the following link:

 

https://www2.atmos.umd.edu/~climate/Bulletin/bulletin_mdsco_current.pdf

 

Points to highlight are:

1) A colder and drier than normal May.

2) The largest deficits in precipitation occurred in the counties of the Piedmont.

3) Drought conditions occupied around 66% of the area of the state. Moderate drought conditions appeared in Charles and Prince George's counties and portions of Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, and Cecil counties 

4) Long-term trends (1895-2023) show significant warming trends from Washington County to the east. Notably, the largest trend (2°F/century) is over Baltimore City. Significant precipitation trends (above 1.0 in/century) are present in Allegany, Garrett, Frederick, Montgomery, Howard, Carroll, Baltimore counties, and Baltimore City.

5) Statewide precipitation was ranked 8th among the driest Mays since 1895. However, Baltimore City, Baltimore, and Howard counties recorded the driest May.

 

6) A significant warming trend in statewide mean temperature (1.0°F/century) is coincident with significant decreasing and increasing trends in statewide heating (-18.4°FDD) and cooling (15.9°FDD) degree-days for the period 1895-2023. A significant wetting trend (0.77 in/century) in statewide precipitation is also present for May.  

 

The bulletin is issued once per month to indicate the state's recent monthly surface temperature and precipitation conditions in a simple format, allowing Marylanders to understand regional climate variations better.

 

This publication is part of our efforts to make the Maryland State Climatologist Office more visible across the State and be central to all discussions of regional climate variability and change.

 

Please help disseminate this bulletin.

 

from 

 

Alfredo

[dallen7908]

 

Here is Alfredo's Climate Bulletin for spring 2023. 

 

 

https://www2.atmos.umd.edu/~climate/Bulletin/bulletin_mdsco_spr23.pdf

 

 

Points to highlight for spring 2023 are:

 

1) Spring 2023 was warmer and much drier than normal (i.e., 1991-2020 averages).

2) Spring 2023 precipitation and partial October 2022 - May 2023 water year were both below normal over the state.

3) Statewide, spring 2023 was the 9th driest among the 129 springs since 1895.

4) A significant warming trend in statewide mean temperature (1.9°F/century) is coincident with a significant decreasing trend in statewide heating degree-days (-162.57°FDD).

5)  An increasing trend in the statewide partial October-May water year (2.31 in/century) is also found.  

6) Regionally, mean temperature in spring showed a significant warming trend everywhere in the state, with maximum values over the Eastern Shore (above 2.0°F/century) and Baltimore City (2.8°F/century).

7) Regionally, accumulated total precipitation in spring showed significant increasing trends in two regions: Allegany County (1.4 in/century), and Baltimore and Harford counties (1.8 in/century).

 

The seasonal bulletin is issued quarterly to indicate the state's recent surface temperature and precipitation conditions in a simple format, allowing Marylanders to understand regional climate variations better.

 

This publication is part of our efforts to make the Maryland State Climatologist Office more visible across the State and be central to all discussions of regional climate variability and change.

 

Please help disseminate this bulletin.

 

Thank you, 

 

Alfredo (MD State Climatologist)