The South: With most precipitation staying to the north, severe drought (D2) continued over Texas. Rainfall during the 7 days ending Tuesday, November 23 improved moisture conditions over Louisiana, shrinking the size of the severe drought there. Amounts over the rest of the South brought no more than minor improvement to the drought situation, which features first-stage drought (D1) from northeastern Arkansas through northern Tennessee and southward across Georgia, with severe (D2) drought in western Georgia. Drought has also expanded eastward from the southern Appalachians, where some streamflows are at record lows.
Outlook: One to 3 inches of rain over much of the Southeast during November 24-27 will ease dryness, likely resulting in severe drought shrinking in Georgia and receding from North Carolina, Tennessee, and southwest Virginia. Expected light to moderate rains during the next 2 weeks over central and eastern Texas will not materially alter drought there.
The Ohio Valley, Midwest, and Plains: The storm system that traversed the central Plains during November 21-23 brought much-needed moisture to the region. Snowfall eliminated abnormal dryness over the Colorado plains and far western Kansas, and rain and snow reduced the magnitude of dryness over the rest of Kansas as well as in Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa, but severe drought (D2) continued to threaten agriculture in northeastern Nebraska and northwestern Iowa, where amounts were mostly under 1 inch. Recent rainfall has failed to significantly alter the first-stage drought (D1) that extends from eastern Nebraska and much of Iowa through eastern and central Missouri, central and southern Illinois, and all of Kentucky to Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee and western Pennsylvania. Severe drought (D2) persists in most of Indiana and adjacent parts of Ohio and Kentucky and into northeast Tennessee, as well as in southeastern Missouri.
Outlook: Moderate precipitation amounts foreseen over the next 2 weeks from the Mississippi Valley eastward will offer minor drought relief, but no significant change in drought category is forecast.
The West: Light to moderate rain and snow as well as cooler weather brought some relief to areas of short-term dryness in the northern Rockies. The drought (D1) is effectively eliminated from northwest Nevada and southeast Oregon, although abnormal dryness continues to threaten agriculture (rangeland, winter grains) and elevate wildfire danger in Nevada, southern Utah, and eastern parts of Washington and Oregon. More precipitation is also needed for winter grains in parts of Idaho and across southern Montana.
Outlook: Except in the Pacific Northwest, conditions will be mostly dry over the region.
Non-contiguous U.S.: Central and eastern Hawaii reported mostly subnormal rain, keeping abnormal dryness (D0) to first-stage drought (D1) intact. There are no significant dryness problems in Alaska or Puerto Rico.
Outlook: Hawaii should see gradual improvement over the next few months as seasonal rainfall increases.
Author: USDM |
