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In a new weekly update for pv magazine , Solcast, a DNV company, reports that North America saw below-average irradiance, primarily due to the stormy conditions that prevailed during the second half of January.
Most of North America experienced below-average irradiance, primarily due to stormy conditions during the second half of January, according to data analyzed by Solcast via the Solcast API. Despite a cold, dry start in the north, low pressure over the Pacific drove moisture across the west coast, providing below-average irradiance. Moisture in the Gulf caused clouds and rain over Florida, but left a wide swath of clear, dry conditions and high irradiance from Mexico to the Carolinas.
In January, northern latitudes typically experience the lowest monthly irradiance of the entire year, due to short days and the sun being low in the sky, as well as winter storm fronts. This means that in more northern locations even large increases relative to the average may be low in terms of daily irradiance received or energy generated by solar assets.
The first days of January were dominated by a polar vortex that brought a surge of cold air to the northwest region, pushed by a high pressure system in the Pacific. On the other side of the continent, a similar low pressure system brought cold, dry conditions to the northeastern tip of the continent.
In the middle of the month, a sudden change caused by a deep low pressure system north of Hawaii reversed patterns from earlier in the month, driving moisture and clouds from the Pacific toward the West Coast. This pattern prevailed, resulting in the below-average irradiance seen in the total monthly results. Just weeks after the record low, Vancouver recorded record high temperatures in January of 14.3°C.
From Baja California to the Carolinas, there was a band of higher than normal irradiance. Outside of Florida, the Gulf Coast received 10% to 20% higher irradiance than the January average. A flow of moisture across Central America brought rain and clouds to Florida and the Caribbean. This pattern also led to drier conditions in the north. |
