Dear WeatherCat faithful,
With all the
"fun" ![[banghead]](https://athena.trixology.com/Smileys/default/banghead.gif "Bang Head")
associated with COVID-19, I didn't notice that on the equinox NOAA issued a press release with their spring outlook. Here is the link:
https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/us-spring-outlook-forecasts-another-year-of-widespread-river-floodingSadly, they expect (and I quote):
"Major to moderate flooding is likely in 23 states from the Northern Plains south to the Gulf Coast, with the most significant flood potential in parts of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota."Here is the graph from the press release:
In addition the outlook makes forecasts for temperature, precipitation and drought. Again quoting from the press release:
- Above-average precipitation is favored from the Northern Plains, southward through the lower Mississippi Valley across to the East Coast. Large parts of Alaska are also likely to experience above-average precipitation in the months ahead.
- Warmer-than-average temperatures are most likely from coast to coast with the greatest chances in northern Alaska, across the central Great Basin southward into the Gulf States, and into the Southeast and portions of the Mid-Atlantic. No part of the country is favored to experience below-average temperatures this spring.
- Drought conditions are expected to persist and expand throughout California in the months ahead, and drought is likely to persist in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, the southern Plains, southern Texas, and portions of the Pacific Northwest.
I'll provide the monthly and seasonal prediction for the 1st of April as usual. Alas, on many counts it appears that April 1st will be anything but a joking matter this year.
Oh well, . . . . . Edouard
