Warmest-Ever US Temps Could Prompt Extremes

Officials with the government's National Climatic Data Center say temperatures in the lower 48 states were the warmest-ever in March, continuing a months-long trend. They say that could bring more extreme weather like tornadoes and heavy rains.

Published

about 1 year ago

Categories

US, Science, Climate & Environment

Topics

United States

Places

United States of America

Tags

tornadoes, extreme weather

Transcript

Script[Notes:VO: VARIOUS OF TORNADOES AND DAMAGE FROM MARCH 2/3 STORMS][Notes:SOURCE: SKIP TALBOT/KDR MEDIA]TORNADOES THAT STRUCK THE OHIO VALLEY AND SOUTHEAST IN EARLY MARCH...[Notes:SOURCE: WHAS]KILLED 40 PEOPLE AND CAUSED ONE-AND-A-HALF BILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. [Notes:SOURCE: MATTHEW ALTRUDA/TREETOWNSOUND]FOR THE MONTH, THERE WERE 223 TORNADO REPORTS IN THE U-S. [Notes:SOURCE: AP]NEARLY THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN AVERAGE.[Notes:SOURCE: AP](sot: THOMAS KARL/DIRECTOR NOAA NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER)13:54;19 we saw a much earlier tornado season because of the earlier, very high temperatures. everyone knows, you don't get tornados in the dead of winter. Well, winter didn't last very long this YEAR.[Notes:VO: NOAA ANIMATION]THIS ANIMATION FROM THE NATIONAL OCEAN AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION PLOTS THE PLACES THAT RECORDING RECORD-HIGH TEMPERATURES IN MARCH. [Notes:VO: PEOPLE GOLFING. SOURCE: AP]THERE WERE 15-THOUSAND IN ALL. (sot: THOMAS KARL/DIRECTOR NOAA NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER)13:51:29 march was the warmest march on record. The period january through march, warmest on record. Our records go back to 1895. The last 12 months in fact, over the course of the period from april of last year to march of this year warmest on record. THOMAS KARL HEADS THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER. [Notes:VO: FILE OF PEOPLE ENJOYING WARM WEATHER. SOURCE: AP]HE SAYS THERE'S NO SINGLE REASON FOR EXTREME WARMTH. HE SAYS WEATHER EVENTS LIKE EL NINO COMBINE WITH GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE...[Notes:VO: TORNADO. SOURCE: JEFFERY HAAS]AND MAKE THE CLIMATE ACT AS IF IT'S ON STEROIDS.(sot: THOMAS KARL/DIRECTOR NOAA NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER)13:54:04 with this extra kick in the atmosphere the liklihood of all time records is increased.[Notes:VO: TORNADO. SOURCE: KWTV/KOTV]AND THAT COULD ALSO LEAD TO MORE TORNADOES, [Notes:VO: HAILSTORM. SOURCE: STEVE ROCHE]HEAVY RAINS OR SNOW OR OTHER WEATHER EXTREMES.[Notes:VO: RUNNER. SOURCE: AP]WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR? [Notes:VO: MAP-GRAPHIC]THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE U-S IS LIKELY TO BE WARMER THAN NORMAL. THE NORTHERN HALF NEAR NORMAL. BUT THERE'S NO PART OF THE COUNTRY WHERE COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS.MATT FRIEDMAN. ASSOCIATED PRESS.(****END****) ANCHOR VOICE: -------------------------VIDEO PRODUCER: matt friedman---------------------------VIDEO SOURCE: ap/NOAA/various--see script for individual courtesies-----------------------VIDEO APPROVAL: ----------------------------VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: COURTESY