Northern Hemisphere: Weather & Climate over Major Crop Areas Update prepared by Climate Prediction Center / NCEP 2 May 2011 For Real-time information:

Outline Highlights ENSO Current Status MJO Current Status Monsoons Current Status Northern Hemisphere Circulation Rainfall & Temperature Patterns NCEP/GFS Model Forecast Forecast Verification

ENSO Current Status For more information go to: During the last 4-weeks (3 – 30 Apr 2011), equatorial SSTs were generally 0.5°C or more below average between 170°E and 140°W, while above-average temperatures have emerged in the eastern Pacific. General Summary: La Niña conditions continued across the equatorial Pacific. Negative sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies persist across the central equatorial Pacific Ocean, while SSTs are now above-average in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with La Niña remain significant. A transition to ENSO-neutral conditions is expected by June 2011.

MJO Current Status  The axes (RMM1 and RMM2) represent daily values of the principal components from the two leading modes  The triangular areas indicate the location of the enhanced phase of the MJO  Counter-clockwise motion is indicative of eastward propagation. Large dot most recent observation.  Distance from the origin is proportional to MJO strength  Line colors distinguish different months MJO Index -- Recent EvolutionEnsemble GFS (GEFS) MJO Forecast RMM1 and RMM2 values for the most recent 40 days and forecasts from the ensemble Global Forecast System (GEFS) for the next 15 days light gray shading: 90% of forecasts dark gray shading: 50% of forecasts Yellow Lines – 20 Individual Members Green Line – Ensemble Mean For more information go to: The MJO signal remained weak during the previous week. Strengthening of the MJO signal is expected during week 1, with a large forecast spread in week 2.

Northern Hemisphere Monsoons Current Status North AmericaWest AfricaEast Asia For more information go to: Rainfall Anomalies: Last 90 Days The North American Monsoon season has ended. Precipitation during the past 90 days has been near average. During the last 90 days near average rainfall has occurred in west Africa near Senegal and Guinea. Below average rainfall has occurred in central Africa. During the last 90 days above average rainfall has occurred in Indonesia. This is consistent with La Nina conditions. Monsoon Season: JUN-SEPMonsoon Season: MAY-OCTMonsoon Season: JUN-SEP

Northern Hemisphere Circulation 200-hPa, 925-hPa Wind & Temperature Anomalies - Recent 7 days Low-level (~600 m) wind and temperature anomalies are based on the NCEP Climate Data Assimilation Systems (CDAS) analysis. The patterns of anomalous temperature and wind at 925-hPa are usually similar to surface observations. Note: Areas with surface pressure below 925-hPa are masked out.

Northern Hemisphere Circulation Rising motion (negative omega, yellow/red shading), usually associated with wetter- than- normal conditions. Sinking motion (positive omega, blue shading), usually associated with drier-than-normal conditions. Omega Anomalies and Total Precipitation - Recent 7 days CPC daily gridded precipitation analysis over land only. The daily gauge analysis is created on a 0.5 degree lat/lon over the global land by interpolating gauge observations from ~30,000 stations.

Canada and US Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns Temperature Patterns GFS Forecast

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 7 Days TotalAnomaly

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 15 Days TotalAnomaly

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 30 Days TotalAnomaly

Recent Evolution: Rainfall Last 30 Days

Temperature (°C) Based on GTS Stations (no QC) AnomalyExtreme Minimum AnomalyExtreme Minimum

Temperature (°C) Based on GTS Stations (no QC) AnomalyExtreme Minimum AnomalyExtreme Minimum

TotalAnomaly NCEP/GFS Precipitation Forecasts Forecasts from 2 May 2011 – Days 1-7

NCEP/GFS Precipitation Forecasts TotalAnomaly Forecasts from 2 May 2011 – Week 2

Mexico and Central America Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns Temperature Patterns GFS Forecast

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 7 Days TotalAnomaly For more information see:

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 15 Days TotalAnomaly

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 30 Days TotalAnomaly

Recent Evolution: Rainfall Last 30 Days

NCEP/GFS Precipitation Forecasts TotalAnomaly Forecasts from 2 May 2011 – Days 1-7

NCEP/GFS Precipitation Forecasts TotalAnomaly Forecasts from 2 May 2011– Week 2

Eurasia Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns Temperature Patterns GFS Forecast

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 7 Days TotalAnomaly

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 15 Days TotalAnomaly

Rainfall Total & Anomaly Patterns: Last 30 Days TotalAnomaly

Recent Evolution: Rainfall Last 30 Days

Temperature (°C) Based on GTS Stations (no QC) AnomalyExtreme Minimum AnomalyExtreme Minimum

Temperature (C) Based on GTS Stations (no QC) Anomaly Extreme Minimum

Recent Evolution: Rainfall Last 30 Days

Temperature (C) Based on GTS Stations (no QC) Anomaly Extreme Minimum

NCEP/GFS Precipitation Forecasts TotalAnomaly Forecasts from 2 May 2011 – Days 1-7 For more information on Global Tropical Hazards see: (updated Tuesday at 1pm)

NCEP/GFS Precipitation Forecasts TotalAnomaly Forecasts from 2 May 2011 – Week 2

Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS) Hazards Impacts Assessments for Central America Africa Afghanistan Meteorological Products for the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS-NET) Mesoamerica Famine Early Warning System (MFEWS) Asia Flood Network (AFN) Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Additional products at:

USDA Crop Information Major World Crop Areas and Climate Profiles Crop Calendars by Month