Latest Seasonal Assessment -
The drought over central and southern Texas has recently expanded mostly northward into Oklahoma, and is
expected to either persist or intensify during the next three months. In the West, drought is forecast to
persist over much of California. This is primarily because the main storm track is forecast to shift northward
for the late winter, affecting mostly Oregon and Washington. Across the northern tier of states, signals from
La Niña composites favor at least limited improvement for northwest Montana and for southwestern North
Dakota. For the Great Lakes area, improvement in current drought conditions is expected for central Wisconsin,
though prospects for significant relief are less likely over northern Wisconsin and adjoining upper
Michigan. Small areas of improvement are also indicated across portions of the upper Ohio Valley and central
Appalachians, with some improvement expected over the southern Appalachians/Piedmont area. In the southern
Atlantic region, the Feb-Apr 2009 precipitation forecast shows a tilt in the odds for drier than normal
conditions. This results in drought expansion from Florida into coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
Forecaster: A. Artusa
Next Outlook issued: February 5, 2009 at 8:30 AM EDT
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