I first mentioned the possibility of La Nina developing back in February (La Nina and the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season) and now the Climate Prediction Center has stated that La Nina is indeed developing in their latest ENSO diagnostic discussion (this is a must read for anyone interested in Meteorology – don’t worry if you don’t understand all of it, you will learn this stuff over time). What does this mean for our drought situation?
The latest Drought Monitor shows that the Mid-South is still mired in extreme to exceptional drought conditions. The Climate Prediction Center has stated in their latest seasonal drought outlook that limited improvement is expected in our region over the next few months. The good news is that La Nina is associated with above average precipitation over the Mid-South during both fall and winter. While it will take several months of above average precipitation to eliminate the 12-18 inch rainfall deficits that many places in the Mid-South have accumulated this year, there is some reason for optimism in the months ahead.
