-
The month of December so far is running quite a bit wetter than normal, especially in southern Alabama and Georgia and northern Florida. This is consistent with the El Niño-like pattern we are in this year. Temperatures are variable across the region but there are more areas with below normal temperatures than above. However, with…
Posted in: Climate summaries -
Today marks the winter solstice, when we experience the shortest day of the year. This is because of the tilt of the earth’s axis of rotation relative to our orbit around the sun. So if you celebrate the winter astronomically, then today is the first day of winter. If you are a climatologist like me,…
-
You might not know it, but most of the weather information you consume ultimately comes from federal agencies such as the National Weather Service. This includes most of what is used by the media in their daily broadcasts including the Weather Channel, and includes what they provide in their smartphone apps too. Even the University…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news -
The latest outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center shows that wetter than normal conditions are expected in January 2019 in Alabama, Georgia and Florida, with equal chances of wetter, drier or near normal precipitation in othe parts of the region. Temperatures in January are expected to be colder than normal everywhere in the Southeast except…
Posted in: Climate outlooks -
ABC News posted an interesting story this week about how changes in climate in the Midwest are affecting corn producers. The story discusses the warming trend in climate there and how planting corn earlier in the year allows it to get through pollination before the temperature gets really hot, leading to improved yields. It shows…
-
The only state in the Southeast that is currently experiencing drought is Florida. This week’s Drought Monitor shows no change in the moderate drought there, but a slight decrease in abnormally dry conditions surrounding the drought area. The latest seasonal outlook for drought indicates that there is a good chance that all drought will be…
Posted in: Drought -
As the climate gets warmer and perhaps wetter, we need to have buildings that can withstand those conditions. In the Southeast, we also need infrastructure that can stand up to rising sea levels and the potential for higher winds from hurricanes. Popular Science posted a story this week which discusses some of the changes that…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news