Spring Outlook

After the recent horrible flooding in the Midwest (that is still going on), I thought it would be pertinent to write about the flood potential for the rest of the Spring across the country, according to the NWS. Unfortunately, the outlook doesn't look good.

Above-average flood conditions are expected due to record rainfall in some states and snow packs, which are melting and causing rivers and streams to crest over their banks. Recent snow depth in New England is more than a foot greater than usual for this time of year. Last week, more than 250 communities in a dozen states were experiencing flood conditions. Flooding is already evident along the Mississippi River, the Ohio River, the lower Missouri River, PA, NJ, most of NY, all of New England, and portions of the West, including Colorado and Idaho.

On the other end of the spectrum, the drought situation continues to improve thanks to winter's precipitation. The outlook continues to show general improvement in the Southeast, although some areas are unlikely to recover before summer. On the U.S. Drought Monitor, extreme drought coverage dropped from nearly 50 percent in mid-December to less than 20 percent in the Southeast for March. Overall, the Southeast had near-average rainfall during the winter which is good, however, there are still water restrictions in effect throughout the region. Bad news for the southern Plains. Parts of Texas received less than 25% of normal rainfall for the winter. The drought is expected to expand northward and westward this Spring in that part of the country.

Courtesy: www.noaa.gov