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Once again, ominous maps of heavy snow bands across parts of the Southeast are starting to appear on social media. I am already getting questions about these snow maps just like we did with the last big storm. This is a good reminder that you should never trust a snow map more than a couple…
Posted in: Climate outlooks -
I received an email today from USDA announcing two informational webinars on the hurricane wind insurance program that has been the bane of many producers’ existence this year. I like to think that maybe I had a little to do with getting them to do this, although I don’t know that for sure. Here is…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
Last week NOAA released its 2024 summary for the contiguous United States. It was the warmest year there since records began in 1895. The average precipitation across the same area was in the wettest third of years. You can read the national 2024 report at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/202413 and the press release at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202413. Note that in…
Posted in: Climate summaries -
Last week NOAA released its climate summaries for the US and the globe. The press release for the globe as a whole noted that the earth experienced its warmest year since official records began in 1880. You can read the full report at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global/202413 and the press release at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-202413. Almost none of the globe…
Posted in: Climate summaries -
After a long wait, La Nina was finally declared this week as the ocean temperatures in the Eastern Pacific Ocean finally dropped below the official threshold for a La Nina. As we discussed earlier, it is expected to be a weak one and may only last for a few months before we go back to…
Posted in: El Nino and La Nina -
Now that the big winter storm has passed, most of the region should see drier and quieter conditions for the next week, although it will still be colder than average for the rest of the month. Another Gulf low will bring rain to southern Alabama, western FL, and SW Georgia in the next few days.…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
The latest Drought Monitor, released this past Thursday, shows that Alabama improved and reduced its dry conditions in the past week. The lack of rain in the eastern part of the region resulted in increases in dry conditions and drought in Georgia and North Carolina. Rain should be relatively light in the next week so…
Posted in: Drought