GLOBAL WATHER HIGHLIGHTS

NOVEMBER 2003

Caribbean: Extensive flooding affected areas of the region during mid to late
November, resulting in fatalities and agricultural losses

UNITED STATES
Western

Severe to extreme drought was widespread throughout much of the western United
States. The most concentrated areas of extreme to exceptional drought
classification were across the Northern Rockies and parts of New Mexico.


Very dry conditions along with Santa Ana winds created a deadly
wildfire emergency across southern California by late October. By early
November, more favorable weather conditions allowed firefighters to contain the
four major fires that had been burning out of control in late October.

Thunderstorms developed in southern California on the 12th and produced
torrential downpours across parts of the Los Angeles area. More than 5 inches
of rain fell in just 2 hours in southern Los Angeles, producing severe urban
flooding. Small hail also accompanied the storms, accumulating several inches
deep in some areas of the city. Nearly 115,000 electrical customers lost power
as the storms affected the area.

East

Flooding affected the central Appalachians and Eastern Seaboard on the 19th,
with some isolated amounts of 8 inches fell across mountainous areas. There
were 11 deaths caused by flooding in the region.

Severe thunderstorms produced a tornado near Darnestown, Maryland in Montgomery
county. Wind damage was also reported in parts of northern Virginia and
Maryland. Severe thunderstorms and several tornadoes accompanied a strong cold
front through the southeastern United States during November 18-19. A strong
storm system that moved across the U.S. Great Lakes and into Quebec during the
12th-13th produced a variety of weather impacts, including severe
thunderstorms,
strong winds and heavy snows. Winds gusting to 50-60 mph across the Ohio
Valley, Great Lakes, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic knocked out power to over
200,000 customers in the region.

West

Cold temperatures enveloped much of the northern Great Plains and Northern
Rockies. Daily temperatures were more than 18°F below normal across much of
Montana and Wyoming.
The first significant snowfall of the 2003-2003 winter season arrived early in
November across parts of Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. In the U.S. Pacific
Northwest, strong winds on the 19th cut electricity service to around 67,000
homes and businesses in Washington and Oregon. The storm brought a rare
November snowfall to the Seattle area, after 2 inches of rain fell on the 18th.

AFRICA

In Somalia, drought conditions in the Sool Plateau and Gebi Valley is
reportedly the worst in living memory. Cumulative livestock losses have
decimated herds, with pack camel mortality rates over 80 percent. Drought has
particularly affected Somalia's nomadic inhabitants.

Long term drought continued across areas of Africa, including the
Greater Horn and parts of the Southern Africa. Food shortages, caused by
a number of factors including drought, affected Zimbabwe, Mozambique,
Swaziland, Malawi, Zambia and Lesotho.

ASIA
Indonesia

Torrential rains caused flooding in a resort area near the capital of North
Sumatra region, Medan. The flooding caused a large landslide, which affected
the town of Bahorok on the 2nd. At least 151 people were killed, and the
landslide was blamed partly on illegal logging in the area and the subsequent
deforestation. The flood destroyed dozens of guesthouses, restaurants and homes
along the banks of the Bahorok River.

Heavy rains accentuated by the nearby passage of Typhoon Nepartak in the Gulf
of Tonkin produced flooding throughout the central provinces of Vietnam
during mid-November. Flooding and landslides claimed 61 lives in Vietnam
and inundated over 32,000 houses.

Typhoon Melor developed in the western Pacific Ocean on October 30th as a
tropical depression, reaching typhoon strength the next day. Melor struck the
northern Philippines on the 1st, passing over the northern province of Isabela
with maximum sustained winds near 85 mph. The storm weakened to tropical storm
strength as it passed just east of Taiwan on November 2-3, bringing locally
heavy rains and gusty winds to the island.

Typhoon Nepartak developed on the 12th in the Philippine Sea, and tracked
through the Gulf of Tonkin during the 17th-18th. Nepartak reached maximum
sustained winds of 85 mph as it skirted the west coast of Hainan on the 18th.
Torrential rains produced flooding, especially through adjacent areas of
Vietnam. In the Philippines, Nepartak was responsible for 4 deaths and loss of
electricity to millions of people.

MIDDLE EAST

Heavy rains struck the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on the 10th.
Flooding was widespread in the city, with water levels reportedly reaching as
high as 20 feet in some areas. The flooding claimed 12 lives and injured 50
people.