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Articles by Brad Pugh
Cold temperatures are on the way for much of the U.S.
On Jan. 9 and 10, a low- pressure system tracked along the Gulf Coast and resulted in widespread precipitation (1 to 2.5 inches, liquid equivalent) from eastern Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley east to the Florida Panhandle. On the northern extent of this storm, snow blanketed areas from Oklahoma and Arkansas to north Georgia. This precipitation during the second week of January supported drought improvement.
Central Plains hit hard with ice and snow
On Jan. 4 and 5, a low-pressure system developed across the central Great Plains and then tracked eastward to the Mid-Atlantic. Along its track, widespread precipitation (1 to 2 inches, liquid equivalent) was observed throughout eastern Kansas, Missouri, the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, Central Appalachians, and Mid-Atlantic. Total snowfall amounts were near or more than a foot in portions of these areas.
Rains have helped ease drought
Following a stormy pattern with frequent periods of heavy precipitation and severe weather outbreaks, major drought improvement occurred this spring across the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley. Recent heavy precipitation from May 28 to June 3 resulted in additional improvements to parts of the central and southern Great Plains.
Pockets of moisture occur outside central Plains
Following the El Nino winter and an active early spring pattern, drought coverage is at its lowest since the spring 2020. A strengthening low pressure system and trailing cold front progressed east from the Mississippi Valley to the East Coast at the beginning of April. This storm brought heavy snow (6 to 18 inches, locally more than 2 feet) to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Wisconsin, and northern New England.
Dry weather was the story for many in the High Plains
An active early springtime pattern continued through late March and into the beginning of April. A pair of low-pressure systems and trailing cold fronts tracked across the east-central contiguous United States. A swath of 1 to 3 inches of precipitation supported improvements extending from parts of the Midwest to southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma.
Early fall moisture welcome news
The rapid onset and intensification of drought continued across the South with drought expanding northeast from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians. A drier-than-normal September led to an expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate short-term drought (D1) across the Upper Ohio Valley and eastern Corn Belt. Drought of varying intensity persists across the Middle to Upper Mississippi Valley and parts of the Great Plains.
Great Plains still feeling drought stress
A strong area of mid-level high pressure, anchored over the southern tier of the country, continued to promote above-normal temperatures and mostly dry weather across the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and the lower Mississippi Valley. Weekly temperatures (Aug. 2 to 8) averaged more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal across portions of Louisiana, Texas, and southern New Mexico.
Pockets of rain have helped some Plains states
A strong area of mid-level low pressure, near the West Coast, resulted in anomalously wet weather during the first week of May throughout the Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies, Great Basin, and California. Scattered thunderstorms brought pockets of heavy rainfall (more than 2 inches), from May 2 to 8, to parts of Texas, central Nebraska, and the Midwest. However, much of Kansas, Missouri, and southern Nebraska missed out on this beneficial rainfall.
Rainfall helped Plains but drought hangs tough
During the final week of April, the southern Great Plains along with the Lower Mississippi Valley also received widespread precipitation with amounts exceeding 2 inches across southeastern Colorado, northern and eastern Oklahoma, and northeastern Texas. Late April was mostly dry across the Central to Northern Great Plains and Middle Mississippi Valley.
Up to 18 inches of snowfall in South Dakota, Nebraska
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Degradation continues in South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas
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Locally heavy rainfall results in improvements in Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota
Short-term drought continued to rapidly expand across the Ohio, Tennessee, and Middle Mississippi Valleys along with parts of the Corn Belt. Thunderstorms brought locally heavy rainfall and drought relief to parts of the central to northern Great Plains. However, 7-day temperatures averaged above-normal throughout the Great Plains.
Heavy rainfall improves drought conditions in High Plains and South
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High pressure system results in little to no precipitation throughout US
A broad area of surface high pressure resulted in little to no precipitation throughout the contiguous U.S. from Feb. 8 to 14. During this 7-day period, the most significant precipitation (more than 0.5 inch, liquid equivalent) was limited to the Cascades, Upper Mississippi Valley, northern New England, and the Florida Peninsula.
Dry weather persists in Great Plains
A persistent pattern over the North Pacific and western North America maintained a continuation of frequent storms affecting the West Coast through late December. On Dec. 23 and 24, a strong low pressure system tracked inland from the East Pacific and resulted in widespread precipitation of 0.5 to 3 inches, liquid equivalent, across much of southern California along with the Great Basin, Southwest, and Four Corners region.
High winds lead to wildfires in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle
On Dec, 14, a strong mid-level low pressure system progressed inland into southern California where heavy precipitation (0.5 to 3 inches, liquid equivalent) occurred. As this area of mid-level low pressure continued to track eastward, a powerful surface low developed across the high Plains with a subsequent track northeastward to the upper Mississippi Valley. This intense low surface low resulted in widespread damaging winds and a dust storm across the central and southern Plains.
Widespread precipitation from central Rockies to Great Plains
A strong low pressure system resulted in widespread precipitation (0.5 to 3 inches, liquid equivalent) from the central Rockies east to the northern and central Great Plains from Oct. 11 to 13. More than a foot of snow blanketed parts of Montana, Wyoming, and western South Dakota. Along a trailing cold front, heavy to excessive rainfall (1 to 3 inches, locally more) occurred across eastern Oklahoma and central to eastern Texas.
Low pressure system brings widespread precipitation; Denver receives 4th largest snowfall on record
A vigorous and slow-moving area of mid-level low pressure tracked from the Four Corners region to the Central Great Plains from March 13 to 15. Widespread precipitation (rain and snow totaling 2 to 6 inches, liquid equivalent) fell across the Central Rockies, Central Great Plains, and Lower Missouri River Basin. Snowfall amounts ranged from 2 to 4 feet from Colorado north to Wyoming. However, across North Dakota, dry weather continued.
Real-Time Prediction of Areas Susceptible to Flash Drought Development
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Moderate to severe drought expands in Kansas
A strong cold front progressed southeast across the Great Plains, Mississippi Valley, and Southeast on April 28 and 29. This cold front was a focus for a severe weather outbreak from Oklahoma and eastern Texas east to the middle and lower Mississippi Valley. As this front shifted south, heavy rain (more than 2 inches) fell from the western Gulf Coast east to the Florida Big Bend and Florida Gulf Coast.
Drought Monitor Weekly: Heavy Rains in the Southwest
Summary An area of upper-level low pressure entered southern California by December 26 and then progressed east across the Four Corners region. This upper-level low resulted in heavy rain and high-elevation snow from southern California east to southwest Colorado and New Mexico. A surface low developed across the south-central Great Plains on December 28 with a subsequent track northeast to the upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes.
Severe drought continues in southwest Kansas
An area of upper-level low pressure entered southern California by Dec. 26 and then progressed east across the Four Corners region. This upper-level low resulted in heavy rain and high-elevation snow from southern California east to southwest Colorado and New Mexico. A surface low developed across the south-central Great Plains on Dec. 28 with a subsequent track northeast to the upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes.
Drought Monitor Weekly: Heavy Rains for Southeast, Otherwise Mostly Dry
Summary A major pattern change occurred during mid-December as a strong area of upper-level low pressure developed over the northeast Pacific. Following a rather dry November, enhanced onshore flow resulted in heavy rain and high-elevation snow across the Pacific Northwest where 7-day total amounts (liquid equivalent) ranged from 2 to 6 inches, liquid equivalent, or more. Surface low pressure formed over the Gulf of Mexico on December 21 with an eastward track.
Drought Monitor Weekly: Wet Conditions Continue
Summary Multiple cold fronts progressed across the central and eastern U.S. during mid to late June with widespread showers and thundershowers from the Great Plains east to the East Coast. During the past week (June 18 to 24), heavy rainfall (2 to 6 inches) maintained excessively wet conditions across eastern portions of the Great Plains, middle Mississippi Valley, and Ohio Valley.
NOAA Monthly Drought Outlook - April
Above-average precipitation during March continued to result in a large decrease in drought coverage and intensity across the Great Basin and central to southern Rockies. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor (valid on March 26, 2019), drought coverage across the continental U.S. is below 5 percent for the first time since May 2017. Below-average precipitation during March resulted in an increase of abnormal dryness and short-term drought across parts of Texas and the Southeast.
Drought Monitor Weekly: Rains Inundate Plains, Midwest
Dry weather prevailed regionwide. Outside a swath in the North Carolina mountains, rainfall was isolated and totaled a few tenths of an inch at best. The dry (and unusually warm) week didn’t result in dramatic changes, but several areas were changed, all for the worse.
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