Temperatures across the U.S. (at 3 PM) were over 30 degrees above average in North Dakota this afternoon. With dozens of cities reporting temperatures of 12-28 degrees above average. The map below is based on the average weather (for 3 PM on December 9th) over the last 30 years.

The maps below show the temperatures over the last 30 and the last 90 days compared to normal. The NOAA Climate Information Center reported today that this autumn was the warmest on record in the U.S. and it will very likely be the warmest on record globally. The year is also certain to be the warmest on record as well.

The Pacific NW has continued to see one El Nino type storm after another, and the loop below shows the total precipitable water. Notice the stream of moisture across the Pacific aimed at Washington and British Columbia. If this type of pattern continues, the needed snow pack in the California mountains will not be enough to make much of a difference in the drought, since that will only get better when the Central Sierra’s see heavy snows and rainfall.

Look at the full disk loop of the storms impacting the NW U.S. (Ctsy NASA Goddard and GOES West).