Over the past several months, the pattern for extreme events that we saw in 2012 continued into 2013. In early 2013, parts of the Southern Hemisphere witnessed record-high temperatures, with Australia experiencing its hottest month in January 2013 since record-keeping began more than a century ago. Meanwhile, the central and northeastern United States saw record snowfall and blizzard conditions. Precipitation continued to be extreme throughout the spring, with Spain seeing its wettest March on record and China experiencing its wettest May since 1973. At the same time, New Zealand saw its worst drought in three decades, and California experienced its driest year-to-date.;xNLx;;xNLx;To illustrate this pattern, the World Resources Institute put together a timeline of extreme climate and weather events in 2013, which builds on our previous 2012 timeline. We have by no means attempted to be comprehensive in listing events, but have aimed to include some of the most significant occurrences this year.;xNLx;;xNLx;[TO ACCESS EMBED CODE](http://multimedia.wri.org/2013_timeline_embed_code.txt);xNLx;;xNLx;[TO ACCESS 2012'S TIMELINE](http://insights.wri.org/news/2012/09/timeline-extreme-weather-events-2012)
More than a foot of rain falls on parts of Malaysia in January. At least seven people die and more than 23,000 evacuate. Hundreds of homes are destroyed.
Two weeks of flooding of the Limpopo River results in nearly 70 deaths in Mozambique. As many as a quarter million residents must abandon their homes.
Heavy monsoon rains impact more than 10 million residents in Jakarta, Indonesia. More than 40 people die, while more than 100,000 are left without homes. The heavy rainfall causes infrastructure problems, like a collapsed dike, that lead to a flooded central business district and train cancellations.
January becomes the hottest month ever experienced in Australia, breaking a record (for both mean and maximum temperatures) in the 103-year record-keeping period.
States throught the Northeast United States experience massive snowfall and blizzard conditions. The largest snowfall from a single storm is recorded in Portland, Maine (31.9 inches), while the sixth-largest snowstorm hits Boston. Hamden, Connecticut witnesses 40 inches of snowfall from the same storm system.
Tropical storm Haruna starts in the Mozambique channel and makes its way to Madagascar by late February, leading to at least 26 deaths. Agriculture is heavily affected, exacerbating food security concerns. Emergency relief efforts are slow due to the weather.
Heavy winter storms hit the central United States, affecting the Texas pandhandle, western Oklahoma, and other areas. Wichita, Kansas sees record snowfall, receiving 21.2 inches of snow in February (the previous record was 20.5 inches). Amarillo, Texas is covered in snow drifts, some greater than 10 feet in height.
Heavy rains across several parts of Africa result in flash floods and destroyed crops. More than 1,300 residents in the Mbale district of Uganda are displaced, while more than 220 homes suffer damages.
Extreme drought hits New Zealand - deemed the worst drought in 30 years - leading to an estimated loss in export revenue of $820 million USD. Outdoor water use bans and fire bands are implemented, while cattle and sheep are slaughtered due to lack of water and food.
March 2013 is China's second-warmest March - after 2008 - since recordkeeping started more than half a century ago.
Spain experiences its wettest March on record, with precipitation levels more than three times the 1971-2000 average.
Year-to-date rainfall is the driest on record, at 3.59 inches in California (9.49 inches below average).
In Vienna, Austria, the time period between the last ice day and the first day of summer (25 days) is the shortest since record-keeping began in 1872.
The Central United States experiences extensive flooding, causing rivers to reach record high levels in Illinois, Iowa and Michigan.
April 2013 ranks as Australia's fifth-warmest average maximum temperature since recordkeeping began at the turn of the 20th century. Temperatures are 1.64°C (2.95°F) above the 1961–1990 average.
2013 brings China the wettest May in the the last four decades. Rainfall is 23 percent above average.
In Eurasia, May snow cover extent is the lowest on record for the month. Record-keeping began roughly 45 years ago.
Tropical Cyclone Mahasan hits Bangladesh, affecting almost 1.3 million people. 1.1 million people evacuate to cyclone shelters, almost 50,000 homes are destroyed, and another 45,000 homes are badly damaged. More than a dozen people die.
In Moore, Oklahoma, a severe tornado destroys thousands of houses and businesses, leading to more than 20 deaths. Just 11 days later near El Reno, Oklahoma, another severe tornado hits. Its path is 2.6 miles wide, the widest tornado ever observed in the United States.
The third-warmest May (tied with 1998 and 2005) on record across global land and ocean surfaces occurrs, with temperatures at 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20th century average.
Snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere is the fourth-lowest since 1967, following the three years with the lowest recorded snow cover in 2012, 2010, and 2011, respectively.
Flash floods and landslides in northern India kill more than 1,000 people and leave thousands missing.
One of the most severe heat waves comes to North America. The hottest June temperature on Earth is recorded in Death Valley, California (129.2°F (54.0°C)).
19 firefighters lose their lives battling wildfires in Prescott, Arizona - the single deadliest incident for firefighters in the United States since 9/11.
July 2013 ranks as the sixth-warmest July on record, with global land and ocean surfaces more than 1 degrees F above the 20th-century average. Nine of the 10 warmest Julys on record have occurred since 2000.
Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan and southeasern China, leading to at least 100 deaths due to floods and landslides.
Austria's July precipitation is only 35 percent of the 1981-2010 average, making it the driest July on record (since 1858) for the country.
Above-average precipitation leads to flooding and crop damage in U.S. Southeast. Florida's rainfall is almost 5 inches above the average, leading to the wettest July on record.
The rainiest day on record occurs in Philadelphia, when 8 inches of rain falls on July 28th, with the majority falling in only four hours. The city also experiences its wettest July on record.
New Zealand witnesses its warmest August on record (since 1909), with temperature 3.4 degrees F (1.9 degrees C) above the 1971-2000 average.
South Korea sees its highest average and maximum August temperatures - more than 2 degrees C (4 degrees F) above the 1981-2010 average. At the same time, the August minimum temperature is almost 2 degrees C above average - the second highest in its 41-year record.
Russia's far east experiences extreme precipitation in the first half of August, leading to the worst flooding in more than a century.
Major flooding in the Philippines occurs in mid-August as a result of monsoon rains and Tropical Storm Trami. Areas of Manila flood by up to 6.5 feet (2 meters).
California receives only about 5 inches of precipitation in the first eight months of the year, a record low.
U.S. Northeast receives 134 percent of its average precipitation, making it the wettest summer on record.
Nine inches of rain hit Boulder, Colorado on September 12th, breaking a record for the city and leading to widespread flooding. Rainfall for the month of September is three times the previous record, set in 1940. According to NOAA, the extreme precipitation was a 1 in 1000+ year event.
The 10-month period leading up to October is the warmest on record in Australia, at 1.3 degrees C above the 1961-1990 average.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Phailin is the most intense cyclone to hit India since 1999, leading to flooding, damages, and the evacuation of almost 1 million people.
More than 20,000 cattle die due to an early blizzard hitting northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota. Almost three feet of snow and 70+ mph winds occur, breaking October snowfall records in Rapid City. Early estimates of associated damages equate to $1.7 billion.
Alaska sees its warmest October since record-keeping began almost a century ago. Temperatures climb 8.8 degrees F (4.9 degrees C) higher the 1971-2000 average.
November 2013 ranks as the warmest November on record according to global land and ocean surface data. Global temperatures are 0.78 degrees C (1.4 degrees F) above the 20th century average, with many regions experiencing an extremely hot month.
Indiana experiences 28 tornadoes on November 17, while Illinois sees 25.
Tropical cyclone Haiyan hits the Philippines, resulting in 6,000 deaths, millions of people without homes, extensive agricultural losses, and roughly US$10 billion in losses (5 percent of the Philippines annual economic output).
Extreme rainfall in Austin destroys roughly 1,000 homes and causes an estimated $14.4 million in damages. More than 16,000 in Houston lose power.
An ice storm hits the Dallas-Fort Worth area in early December, leading to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights, shutdown of major interestates, and more than $1 billion in roadway damages. More than 260,000 people lose power.
Temperatures for the November-December period are the highest in Russia's 114-year record. Christmas day in Moscow and St. Petersberg bring record-breaking daily maximum temperatures.
The northern and central regions of Argentina witness a heatwave, leading to several records broken in various locations.
Scotland has its wettest December on record, which extends more than a century. Precipitation is 181 percent of the monthly average.
2013 is the warmest year on record since record-keeping began in 1910, with the average temperature 1.2 degrees C (2.2 degrees F) above the average.
Severe drought affects more than one-quarter of California by the end of 2013. Only 7.38 inches of rain falls throughout the state over the year--32.8 percent of the annual average--making it the driest calendar year on record.
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