“Absolutely Remarkable": Recent heavy rains have helped southern states shake off drought

Parts of the southern U.S. have finally shaken off years of drought, thanks to a steady string of storms.
One meteorologist says that Oklahoma and neighboring states have seen historic rainfall that wiped out drought conditions.

According to Matt Makens, “Absolutely, it is remarkable. We’ll see how those drought numbers pan out over the next few weeks, with some of these hot days finally building back in here. But it all kind of started in late October or early November when that real soaker came through. It got the soil moist. They stayed that way through winter, for the most part, and that was kind of a good catalyst to get this season going, and it clearly was a was a gravy train, if you will, from Amariollo all the way through here, out to the east, of just progressive storm after storm after storm with this rainfall.”

He says it is the wettest year on record across much of Oklahoma and a large swath of the Southern Plains, but as fall approaches, he warns dry conditions could return, especially if La Niña strengthens.

Related Stories
“We could see oppressive heat index values for a few days.”
Geomagnetic storms have been occurring with increased frequency in space this year, with significant consequences for agriculture.
Congress is seeking insight from meteorologists and weather researchers on how new technology can enhance safety and response times to severe weather and prevent future disasters.
The network includes labs across the country that track diseases like New World Screwworm, which could see a rise in cases with hurricane season approaching.