The ATS Weather Extremes Compendium

In light of the recent heat wave in South East Australia and the Ice storm in the USA, this is just a little thread to detail the most extreme tempertaures, wind and rainfall records across the globe.

I will post a few, and if anyone wants to know the most extreme types of weather from their area (or other types, eg- hottest temp recorded in say....Uganda), just let me know and I will find out.

Worlds Hottest Temperature- 57.8 °C (136 °F), at Al Ziziyah, Algeria, 13/9/1922

Worlds Coldest Temperature- −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F), Vostok Ice Station, (Russian), Antarctica, 21/7/1983

Hottest Temperature in USA- 56.7 °C (134 °F), Death Valley, California, 10/7/1913

Coldest Temperature in USA- −62 °C (−80 °F), Prospect Creek, Alaska, 23/1/1971

Most Rainfall Annually- 13330mm (523.6 in), Lloro, Colombia

Highest 24 Hour Total Rainfall- 1825mm (75.98in), Foc Foc, La Reunion Island, 8/1/1966

Fastest One Minute Sustained Wind 372km/h (231mph), Mount Washington, New Hampshire, 12/4/1934

Fastes Daily Average Wind- 164km/h (108mph), Port Martin, Antarctica, 21/3/1951 to 22/3/1951

Lowest Air Pressure Recorded - 870hPa, Eye of Super Typhoon Tip, Guam, 12/10/1979

Highest Air Temperature Recorded- 1085.6hPa, Tosontsengal, Mongolia, 19/12/2001

So what are some of the extremes in your area that you know of?

And are you expereiencing weather extremes at the moment?


















[edit on 30/1/2009 by OzWeatherman]

Flag for this.

And I would like to know, the extremeties in chennai, India. One year, there is heavy rain and the next year, little to no rain, and extreme heat. More information would be useful.

As fact will dispel myths.

[edit on January 30th, 2009 by peacejet]

reply to post by peacejet


Good question

Chennai recieves most of its rain from tropical cyclones, and the north east monsoonal trade winds. It also sits on the thermal equator on the Indian coast, which is the reason for the extreme heat. (Because coastal towns dont cool as much as inland towns)

Found data that suggest it has an average rainfall of around 1300mm, but I suspect the extremeties are due to number of cyclonic storms systems affecting the coast, and the El Nino, and La Nina (ENSO) weather patterns.

Also, unlike the rest of India, Chennai, recieves their monsoon from the north east (the rest of India is from South west), which dont last as long, but can sit off coast in the Bay of Bengal, creating a cyclone.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


Ah yes, we receive rains only from the north-east monsoon, but is there any reason as to why there is heavy rain one year and little to no rain the rest of the year, though the cyclones always make landfall in the neighbouring state.

Originally posted by peacejet
reply to post by OzWeatherman

 

Ah yes, we receive rains only from the north-east monsoon, but is there any reason as to why there is heavy rain one year and little to no rain the rest of the year, though the cyclones always make landfall in the neighbouring state.

Do you mean heavy rain one year, and little rain the next year

or

Do you mean heavy rain at one time of the year, and little rain for the rest of the year

Sorry I got confused a bit

We alternate with el nino's and whatever the other one is in the paciifc, so some summers have lots of rain, others are very dry. The records are for highest in an hour, day or month. Not sure what they are. I just know they keep saying it's a record amount of rain. I live near vancouver.

I looked at the wiki page for records, and they must be wrong on some of them.

The most extreme weather I experienced was around 1988 or '89, not sure. It was an arctic blast from Siberia, -70 celsius windchills and continuous strong winds for about 2 weeks.

Last year was about 45 celsius in the okanagan BC. Heatwaves like that happen some summers. It gets to me if it lasts for days, then you've had enough and feel you're about to collapse. Except it doesn't seem to bother kids as much, and it never bothered me when I was a teenager.

Originally posted by violet
We alternate with el nino's and whatever the other one is in the paciifc, so some summers have lots of rain, others are very dry. The records are for highest in an hour, day or month. Not sure what they are. I just know they keep saying it's a record amount of rain. I live near vancouver.

Yeah, there are so many different types of records, recognised by the WMO. Its frustrating for me when I see the news claiming about records because they never specify what the record is, wether it be, heaviest rainfall in one minute etc. Luckily, because I work in the Australian weather bureau I have access to most world wide records of weather extremes

The most extreme weather I experienced was around 1988 or '89, not sure. It was an arctic blast from Siberia, -70 celsius windchills and continuous strong winds for about 2 weeks.

You have to remember that records have to be officailly recorded by weather observers and meteorologists for them to be accurate, and recognised by the WMO. Also remember that wind chill is different to air temperature. In some cases, the temperature can seem colder, or warmer , but only becuase it is influenced by factors such as wind or humidity

I think when that windchill was minus 70, the actual temp was minus 50, but not sure. All I know is it was like being in the arctic. Not that I've been there to know The wind just cuts right through your skin.

Originally posted by violet
I think when that windchill was minus 70, the actual temp was minus 50, but not sure. All I know is it was like being in the arctic. Not that I've been there to know

The wind just cuts right through your skin.

Nope wind chill is different, although it does make the tempertaure colder than what the surrounding air is. Its sort of like the humidity where I am, in the tropics. It rarely gets past 36 degrees C, but with humidity at 85%, it can feel like 48 degrees C

Air temperature is purely done by measuring the temperature of air. The thermometers are sheltered from wind, direct sunlight, moisture and are placed away from buildings to ensure the best quality readings are possible

Hi,
Al 'Aziziyah is actually in Libya, where that hottest temp was recorded.
en.wikipedia.org...

Heat to continue

Respite is still at least a week away in South Australia, where the state's electricity supply was cut in rolling blackouts amid record demand.

Yesterday's temperature in Adelaide reached 43.4C at 3.10pm after an overnight minimum of 33.9C at 12.30am, which surpassed the previous record of 33.5C on January 24, 1982.

AdelaideNOW reports daytime temperatures are forecast to remain at 38C or above for the next seven days, before rising to 40C again next Thursday. Experts say Adelaide could match or exceed last year's record heatwave of 15 days of temperatures above 35C.

Rail workers toiled through the night to prepare buckled tracks for morning commuters and perishable food was ruined in supermarkets.

The state's Country Fire Service is on full alert.

Heatwave record

Meanwhile, Melbourne is officially in its hottest-known three-day heatwave, after the temperature again broke through the 43 degrees celsius barrier today.

Today's temperature of 43.8 degrees recorded at 1.52pm (AEDT) marked the first time since records began in 1855 that the city has had three consecutive days above 43.

On Wednesday the temperature reached 43.4 degrees and yesterday it got to 44.3 degrees.

Melbourne is also experiencing its driest period since 1965 with 27 days without rain, and none is forecast in the immediate future.

The city's record dry spell occurred in 1955 when the city had 40 days without rain, the bureau said.

However, there is some good news with the extreme heat expected to drop to 35 degrees on Saturday, 33 on Sunday and 34 on Monday.

www.news.com.au...

VICTORIA is on the brink of a power meltdown as the blistering heatwave drains electricity supplies.

Interstate power is keeping the network alive, but hundreds of thousands of homes were cut off when the Basslink pipe from Tasmania went down at 3.05pm yesterday.

Authorities have not ruled out household restrictions to conserve power.

Arrangements have been made to tap into industry reserves to keep homes powered if demand outstrips supply.

Victoria smashed the power usage record on Wednesday, chewing through 10,300 megawatts.

Consumption neared 10,500mW yesterday as people cranked up air-conditioners to keep cool.

The mercury hit 45.8C at Avalon, and even in cooler areas the heat had begun taking a human toll.

More than 35 people were treated in hospital, and ambulance crews had responded to 75 calls for heat-related illness by 5pm yesterday, many of them for the elderly and children.

Emergency staff were bracing for more calls today, when the mercury is once again tipped to hit 43C.

Weather bureau forecaster Dean Stewart said yesterday was Melbourne's third hottest day on record at 44.3C.

The last time Victoria had consecutive days over 43C was in 1875; if today makes its expected top, the record will fall.

But some relief is in sight, in the form of a cool sea breeze expected to arrive on Saturday afternoon.

Local power meltdowns cut electricity to 100,000 homes overnight on Wednesday, and by midday yesterday 18,000 were still waiting to be reconnected.

About 3pm Basslink tripped, wiping 730mW from the grid and cutting electricity to homes for more than an hour.

Blistering heatwave drains Victoria's electricity supplies

Hello, great post.
I however find something pretty strange - coldest temperatures (record and US one - not enough for parallels, average would be better but i do not have it) were in 1970-80s. With CO2 skyrocketing.

Hottest - 1910-20s. With much less CO2 output by humans.
Maybe it is just coincidence and on average beginning of the century was colder then end of century?

Originally posted by OzWeatherman
Nope wind chill is different, although it does make the tempertaure colder than what the surrounding air is. Its sort of like the humidity where I am, in the tropics. It rarely gets past 36 degrees C, but with humidity at 85%, it can feel like 48 degrees C

Yeah, I more or less get what the wind chill is. If they say it will be -16 C, but with the wind it will feel like -26 or lower. We get the arctic outflow winds that gust to 60 to 100 KM (higher further north), and it's when the wind blows it suddenly feels bitterly cold. The stronger the wind the colder it feels, and the warnings to be careful outdoors increases. The wind chill temp, even though the actual temp is much hgher, causes the same affects (as low temp, no wind) on the skin's exposure to it. Yes?

I live in a humid climate too near the coast, so when it's hot, say 35 C, it feels alot hotter with the humidity, whereas in the interior, the same temp doesn't feel as hot.

I'm not sure what our average summer humidity is.

It doesn't seem to rain as much as it used to years ago, but then you'll have people who will disagree! This winter we had alot of snow, then a fast melt with rain, that caused flooding and mudslides

[edit on 31-1-2009 by violet]

Originally posted by OzWeatherman
Do you mean heavy rain one year, and little rain the next year

This is what I meant, heavy rain one year, which floods the entire city and disrupts normal life, and the next year, very little rain, causing water scarcity. Does this actually occur in a cycle or is it just conincidence.

Originally posted by BorgHoffen
Hi,
Al 'Aziziyah is actually in Libya, where that hottest temp was recorded.
en.wikipedia.org...

Yes, you are quite right

I always mix up Libya and Algeria, thanks for pointing out that error

Originally posted by ZeroKnowledge
Hello, great post.
I however find something pretty strange - coldest temperatures (record and US one - not enough for parallels, average would be better but i do not have it) were in 1970-80s. With CO2 skyrocketing.

Hottest - 1910-20s. With much less CO2 output by humans.
Maybe it is just coincidence and on average beginning of the century was colder then end of century?

It is interesting that you mention that, but Im sure there are many other factors that influence the weather. Personally I dont think there ie enough evidence to suggest that global warming is fact, but I also dont think there is enough historical climate data to discredit it.

I am thinking that the weather patterns El Nino and La Nina play a big part though. For instance take a look at the USA weather of late, its in a classic La Nina phase, which was predicted months ago by ENSO climatologists