Last week the National Weather Service released a new 90-day seasonal outlook covering November through January. The outlook for temperatures shows a majority of the U.S. is likely to experience warmer than normal temperatures, with New England and the Southwest being most likely to see warmer trends. The northern plains and Pacific Northwest were the areas least likely to see warmer than average patterns.
The precipitation outlook expects most of the deep south, coastal Mid-Atlantic states, and Texas to experience drier than usual conditions. The pacific northwest, far northern plains, and portions of the Great Lakes are forecast to see slightly wetter than usual conditions. The rest of the country is expected to be closer to normal.
The seasonal drought outlook notably expects drought conditions to improve in the Pacific northwest and portions of the corn belt east of the Mississippi river. The deep south’s long-term forecast for warm and dry conditions results in the drought outlook expecting worsening conditions as winter sets in, and new areas that may be susceptible to developing drought. Drought conditions are also expected to persist in the Southwest and New England.
