Posted on 06/04/2023 2:03:33 AM PDT by EBH
Abnormally dry weather combined with high temperatures among other factors have placed portions of the Northeast at risk of experiencing a "flash drought," and next week's rainfall may not be enough to stave it off.
Abnormally dry conditions during the month of May have placed portions of the Northeast on the brink of a "flash drought."
Just as the name suggests, flash droughts are bouts of short-term drought conditions that are fueled by lower-than-average rainfall, abnormally high temperatures, strong winds and increased sunlight.
These elements have been brewing across the northeast, with the driest areas in eastern Pennsylvania. This area, AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda said, is "at the greatest risk of a flash drought, as these are areas that can get quite hot in the summer months."
Allentown and Reading, Pennsylvania, along with Binghamton, New York, are a few cities that experienced abnormally dry conditions throughout May. All received less than an inch of rainfall, respectively.
Of the three, Binghamton, New York, received the highest rainfall total -- a staggering 0.71 inches, a full 18% of the city's normal 3.92 inches. Allentown had only 6% (0.24 inches) of its normal rainfall (3.79 inches). Reading only had 0.09 inches of rain throughout the month, amounting to 2% of its normal 3.67 inches of rain.
The heat and lack of rainfall "combined with the fact that the next several weeks will feature the most intense solar energy of the year, puts this area at particular risk for a flash drought to form," Sojda said. "This area is also not forecast to get much significant rainfall for at least the next couple of weeks."
Even with some localized downpours in the forecast for the area into the weekend, Sojda said it likely wouldn't be enough to stave off a significant impending drought threat.
Conditions associated with flash droughts also come into play during heat waves, as the same pattern that causes the dryness and the lack of rain also produces the heat, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek explained.
"Heat will breed drought and drought will breed heat," he said.
Cities in the Midwest have seen similar dry conditions, with the lack of rain across Illinois, Iowa and Indiana placing the region at risk of experiencing a quick-hitting drought, AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor reported. In Chicago, less than an inch of rainfall fell over the past month, making it the second driest May on record for the city.
"The upper five, six, seven inches of soil is rapidly drying out, and that's one of the first clues to the potential for a flash drought," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson told Victor.
A little to the north in Lower Michigan, Cadillac, Ludington and Manistee all reported between 15% to 25% of normal precipitation since May, according to Sojda. However, he added that most of the rain fell during the first couple of days in May with very little rain in the areas since then.
In the days ahead, the weather in the Midwest is forecast to remain warm and dry while a cold front is forecast to wash over the Northeast over the weekend, bringing a cooldown to parts of New England. While there is the risk of thunderstorms, AccuWeather forecasters say the weather across the Northeast may remain dry given the "hit-or-miss nature" of the wet weather.
Additional reporting by AccuWeather National Reporter Emmy Victor.
Have not had any rain in several weeks already. Sort of glad I did not go wild with the garden this year. Lettuces have not bolted yet, which I am surprised. Radishes bolted, so just going to let those go to seed. Tomatoes will be getting water feeders this week. Tough going already for the season.
Looking at the map it will affect some of the corn yield. And looks like it will hit the ‘wine’ areas hard.
I actually expect the wine areas to be even winier.
Here’s a good question to ask the lefty “winers” (pun intended): would they like some cheese to go with their wine?!
Rained once for 10 minutes since I planted grass three weeks ago. I blame myself…..sorry bout that.
I planted Truffula Pink Gomphrena in my garden this year because it is drought tolerant.
Yup, grass already stopped growing. Normally mow 2x per week at this time of year. It is still spring!
Seattle has been in drought status for the last year.
Curiously, the primary reason is a huge salt water lake of unusually cold water that has been pushed up against our Pacific coast line for much of the last year.
Late Winter and Spring temperatures have been significantly below normal, which has completely disrupted our normal rainy season.
June, July, and August are the three driest months of our year, so there is no relief in sight until the start of Autumn weather.
Crank up your AC and open all your doors and windows.....
I just completed putting together a water buffalo to water my garden - a 125-gallon tank coupled to a 2” HF gas-powered semi-trash water pump. I fill up at my farm creek and haul it up to the garden on a two-wheeled trailer towed by a ‘48 Farmall Cub. My gut told me this was going to be a dry summer and I think it will continue until we get some hurricane action to break the weather pattern.
You could make amends for that by washing your car.
Flash drought...
Is that a new term like atmospheric river!??
And the wine areas will be “wining” even harder (pun intended).
Here in NE PA, Only watering the garden and flowerpots. Rest is bone dry. Got about 100 drops of rain yesterday, the most in weeks.
The same weather talkers who can’t break 50/50 coun flip odds on rain or no rain?!?
And ranking sunlight now too?
“Flash drought” sounds much scarier than “dry spell.” I wonder if the Weather Channel will start to give them names.
I just put in a new AC/furnace
Over twice the price of what one cost in 2020
Yea....Everything on Accuweather is fear based BS...
” Flash drought... “
Yes, ...All of a sudden, out of nowhere, just like that—BAM! —it didn’t rain for 3 weeks.
Stupid writing reveals stupid thinking.
If by “heat” they mean the 51f daytime high we had here yesterday or the mid 40s we’re at right now then their predictions are spot on. Those temps are not my idea of “heat”. We’ve had a few warm days but generally what I would consider a cool spring, a bit dryer than normal but not unusual. Last week we had a frost at 28 degrees.
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