Even though this has not been a very typical La Nina winter so far, statistically La Nina conditions are most likely. So the outlook maps for February and February through April show that the warmer and drier than usual conditions we usually see in the Southeast in La Nina winters are still the most likely climate condition to expect. This indicates a continuing likelihood of drought in parts of the Southeast that are most affected by the warm and dry conditions. Remember, this is based on statistics, so some years will fit better than others. The longer-range forecast indicates that all of the Southeast except the Florida Peninsula can expect to see at least two inches of rain by the first week of February. Temperatures are expected to be warmer than normal for a lot of that time, but some colder outbreaks and associated frost in northern areas are still expected as well.
