The Northwest, which has been suffering from drought, will breathe a collective sigh of relief as seasonal rains, mountain snowfall and cooler temperatures bring short-term relief.
Despite the levels of precip and mild temperatures, which are expected to improve soil-moisture conditions in the region, NOAA’s climate experts anticipate the water supply is likely to continue to be strained through spring of 2002.
Most of east Texas and Oklahoma have heavy rains in late August and early September to thank for ending the drought. But drought conditions in west Texas and central Oklahoma persist.
“More precipitation during the next several months may bring relief to the rest of Oklahoma and north-central Texas,” said Doug LeComte, a climate forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
Tropical Storm Gabrielle graced Florida with heavy rains, which improved lake and groundwater levels that were impacted by long-term drought. The northern peninsula may continue to see below-normal levels in some wells and lakes through fall, but the forecasts look good. Abnormal dryness is not expected to return over the next few months.
The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and eastern Great Lakes region are at risk for drought.
“Some areas will see improvement, but overall the dryness will linger from October to December,” said LeComte.
Other highlights include below-average temperatures over the northern Plains, moving eastward as winter approaches. Warmer-than-average temperatures in the Southwest, expanding up the West Coast and along the southern tier states as the fall season ends.
The fall season officially began September 22.
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