Spring has got off to a phenomenally warm start in the United States — in fact, it would not be exaggerating to say that this is something of a heatwave. Large parts of the Midwest experienced record high temperatures last week, with Chicago hitting 27C (81F), the warmest at this time of year since records began in 1872 — the normal temperature is 6C (43F). The winter was also amazingly warm, the fourth-warmest for the US on record, and together with the mild early spring this has been a significant help in keeping heating costs down, although it has been an unpleasant surprise for hayfever sufferers who are experiencing an unusually early pollen season. The warmth was the result of a large area of high pressure stuck in place and blocking the path of any cold air or storms.
But the picture is very different in western parts of the US and Canada, which have been battered by ferocious storms, cold, rain and snow. However, the downpours in California have been very welcome given the very dry winter and the threat of drought later this year.
Large parts of Western Europe are also desperate for rain. The problem lies with stubborn blocks of high pressure for long periods. And with temperatures rising under clear skies this spring, the prospects for water shortages later this spring and summer look worrying. This has been big news in the UK, where southern and eastern England are unusually dry, but conditions are even worse elsewhere in Europe, including France, Portugal and Spain. In fact, Spain is now suffering its worst drought in decades, and already grasslands are drying up, crops are struggling to grow and forest fires have started unusually early in the year. This winter was the driest in Spain for at least 70 years and reservoirs that rely on winter rains to fill up are well below capacity. The lack of rain is also pushing up costs for farmers, which means that food prices are expected to rise later this year. And drought is also an increasing problem in North Africa, where there is concern over winter grains in Morocco.