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Drought conditions could persist and possibly expand if, as expected, a mild and dry winter
affects most of the nation. U.S. Department of Agriculture Meteorologist Brad Rippey says
atmospheric conditions could make this winter a lot like last year’s. If we see like last
winter, a very active jet stream across the north Atlantic that could take a lot of that
Pacific energy and skirt it right across Canada and out across the Atlantic without really
affecting the United States. And a mild, dry winter means little or no relief for large
parts of the nation affected by drought. We still have nearly two-thirds of the contiguous
U.S. in drought, about sixty-two to sixty-three percent at this time, with the core drought
areas covering the plains, parts of the western Corn Belt, and into the southwest. The greatest
risk for dry conditions and mild conditions during the winter months would be across the
southern tier of the country, particularly from southern California to the southern plains.
Those areas are at great risk for drought intensification or expansion during the winter
months. The lower parts of the southeast, especially from parts of Alabama, Georgia,
and Florida northward into Virginia; those areas have been missing out on the moisture
and may continue to do so as we head through the winter months.
Rippey says the northwest and northern tier of nation have the best chance at a snowy
winter. Hopefully if we continue this active storm track across the northwest, those areas
should see some abundant snowfall. So really across the northern tier, I think that’s
our best opportunity to see some winter drought relief. For the U.S. Department of Agriculture
I’m Bob Ellison.