Pam Knox
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While most of the Southeast is not currently in a drought, dry conditions and drought are a natural part of climate, so it is not surprising that droughts are currently affecting other parts of the world now. Here are some recent stories on drought I have read that may interest you. National Geographic: The drought…
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Increases in temperature over time have many different impacts on plants and animals. Flowering plants and trees are blooming earlier, which may cause problems for commercial fruit production because the early bloom makes the plants more vulnerable to a late frost, for one example. This is a problem when one change, such as the migration…
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A recent study published in Nature Communications by scientists from Texas and Hong Kong described new research on how fast flash droughts can develop. “Flash droughts” are primarily driven by little rain combined with high temperatures and mainly affect agriculture because of the plants’ needs for regular infusions of water. According to an article in…
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According to meteorologist Barb Mayes Boustead, the Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index, or AWSSI (pronounced like “Aussie”), which she developed, tallies a “score” throughout the winter season based on temperatures, snowfall, and snowpack on the ground. According to this year’s map, most of the Southeast was categorized as mild or moderate, with limited winter weather.…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news -
The latest 7-day QPF map shows that heavy rain can be expected in most of Alabama as well as northern Georgia by mid-week this week as another strong storm system moves through the area. Severe weather is likely again ahead of the system, and it may be shifted farther east than the last two rounds,…
Posted in: Climate outlooks -
Over the years, climate models have improved in their ability to predict both short-term climate shifts and longer shifts in climate patterns. As climate models have become more sophisticated, the different models are in closer agreement with projections of what climate is likely to be like in the future, although there are still questions about…
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The final outlook for April 2022 was published today. It shows that the temperature outlook for most of the region continues to lean towards warmer than normal temperatures for the next month. The precipitation outlook has most of the region in equal chances of near, above, or below normal precipitation except for the Appalachians, which…
Posted in: Climate outlooks