Autumn (SON) 2005 National Climate Report

Fall:

• September-November temperatures were much warmer than average for the nation with only the Northwest region remaining near average. For information on temperature records during the month, please go to NCDC's Extremes page.
• Precipitation distribution was mixed across the nation with below average rainfall for much of the South, and record wet conditions for the Northeast.

• Indices used to determine the state of ENSO suggest that the Equatorial Pacific was in ENSO neutral conditions during November, having transitioned from a weak warm phase (El Niño) earlier in the year. Sea Surface Temperatures were near normal across the central equatorial Pacific during November, while conditions near the South American coast were cooler than average. To see the latest NOAA advisory and typical impacts of a La Niña or El Niño episode for the U.S., go to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

• November 2005 ranked as the 9th warmest November in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 45.5°F (7.5°C), which was 3.0°F (1.7°C) above the long-term mean.
• November 2005 had near average precipitation, nationally, ranking 54th wettest.
• For the last 3 months temperature was much above average and ranked as the 4th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature for September-November was 56.6°F (13.7°C) which was 2.3°F (1.3°C) above the long-term mean.
• September-November had near average precipitation, ranking 39th driest in the last 111 years.
• The December 2004-November 2005 temperature was much above average and ranked as the 6th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 54.2°F (12.3°C) which was 1.4°F (0.8°C) above the long-term mean.
• Precipitation was near average for December-November, ranking 52nd wettest for the last 12 months based on a record of 110 such periods.

• November 2005 temperatures ranked above average for 44 states including 4 states (NY, NE, OK, NV) which were much warmer than average for November.
• Alaska temperatures were below average for the month and fall season.
• November was drier than average for 8 states, including 3 states (TX, OK, NM), which were much drier than average. November was wetter than average for 23 states including 3 (MT, MI, ME) that were much wetter than average.
  
• The 3 month period, September-November, was warmer than average for every state in the contiguous U.S., except 3 in the Northwest (ID, WA, OR), with 34 states much warmer than average.
• September-November 2005 was record wet for all New England states, while 11 more states were wetter or much wetter than average and 12 states were drier or much drier than average.
• December 2004-November 2005 was warmer or much warmer than average for much of the nation, with only 5 states in the contiguous U.S. near average.
• The last 12 months had a mixed precipitation pattern across the country with 20 states wetter or much wetter than average and 11 states that were drier or much drier than average. In addition, 3 northeastern states (ME, MA, NH) were record wet for the 12 months

  See NCDC's Monthly Extremes web-page for weather and climate records for the month of November.