The latest Drought Status map was released on Thursday and it shows what many folks already know…..dang, it’s dry!
It is rather remarkable considering how much rain we picked up last summer and fall. Then again, when 5 of 6 months of 2022 feature below normal precipitation it becomes easier to see why we have fallen into drought conditions. Thankfully, here in New England our droughts are nothing like the mega-drought out across the western part of the United States as we usually come out of them in months rather than decades.
So how did we get here?? Welp, check out the jet stream over the past few months…
The jet stream shaped like that has basically provided the eastern 2/3rd’s of the country with a northwest airflow (flowing from the northwest to the southeast). That kind of an airflow usually limits moisture from the Gulf of Mexico/Atlantic Ocean from reaching New England and if you limit that moist air you limit rainfall. In the short term, I don’t see any significant changes occurring but once we get into August and the tropical systems start coming to life perhaps that will change our pattern. We shall see.
OK, so we’ve established that we need rain here in southern New England but I’ll be honest with ya….it’s really tough to stand in front of a TV camera on a Friday afternoon in mid July and say repeatedly “we need rain”. I mean….we all live for our summers and summer vacations when it’s bitter cold and dark in January so I propose we continue to root for rain but how about not until Monday? I hope you’re on board with that because I think our weekend is dry.
The weather map for tomorrow and essentially Sunday will feature High Pressure close by. Even tho High Pressure is close by, there will be the slightest of chances of a shower/storm each day….
…but when the chance is less than 20%….most towns (if not all) are likely dry each day. I do think by Monday we’ll see a much higher chance of rain as a storm system swings through the Northeast. That chance of rain is up around 70%. Fingers crossed. Until then, let’s enjoy this fabulous summer weather a little longer.
Ciao for now!
~JR