• It’s the driest time of the year in most of the Southeast, and this week will be no exception.  Almost everywhere in the region will receive less than a half inch of rain, with the exception of southern Florida and coastal areas of Georgia. Most of that rain is expected to come in the next…

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  • Farmers still have a long way to go to recover from the winds and rain of Irma, almost a month after the storm hit.  The Tampa Bay Times has an interesting story about impacts of Irma on one Florida blueberry grower, who lost roughly 100,000 plants to the storm.  You can read it at https://tbo.com/news/weather/hurricanes/dade-city-blueberry-farm-still-recovering-after-100000-plants-damaged-by/2340576

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  • While you might know that PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a result of being in stressful situations like combat under fire, you might not know that it can also occur in people who have lived through a traumatic event like a tornado, hurricane or fire.  Politico has an interesting story about the psychological toll…

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  • After weeks of abnormally dry conditions, moderate drought has been formally introduced to parts of North Carolina and Virginia. They have largely missed the rainfall from tropical systems that have hit other parts of the Southeast. Rainfall amounts there are likely to be less than 1/4 inch in the next seven days, so drought is…

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  • La Niña update

    The latest ENSO outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center shows that the La Niña watch is continuing.  Remember that La Niña conditions have to continue for several months before it becomes an official event. At this point there is no likelihood of El Niño this winter but still some chance of neutral conditions, although that…

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  • Today, October 12, is National Farmers’ Day.  If you like to eat, you are reaping the benefits of hard work by agricultural workers around the world.  Enjoy your food and thank a farmer for providing it for you!

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  • While fires burn up the vineyards in northern California, wineries in France are also having problems due to the weather. Conde Nast Traveler reported this week that France is expected to produce its lowest amount of wine in 60 years.  According to the story, “the drop in wine production is traced back to spells of…

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