🌬️ Winds of change: drought relief coming
Update #628
A week after the Hudson Valley saw the development of a severe drought, the region is in for rain, colder temperatures, and wind later this week. It will be unlike anything the region has experienced in months.
During my second week at the Washington Post, I wrote about how over 87% of the U.S. was facing abnormally dry or drought conditions and which parts of the country have the largest rainfall deficits. Unsurprisingly, the Hudson Valley is a hot spot.
I’ve had the opportunity to make custom weather graphics for them, using their font and styling, like the one below. It shows that the Hudson Valley has had a rainfall deficit of greater than 8 inches from May through October.
Rainfall deficits have also been large across parts of the Appalachians, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi — where I spotted wildfires during my flight on Saturday 🔥
The Hudson Valley has gotten uncomfortably familiar with wildfire activity in the last few weeks, specifically the Jennings Creek fire near Greenwood Lake.
Fortunately, some much-needed rain is forecast on Thursday. It’s unclear exactly how much rain will fall, but 1-2 inches appears most likely as of this writing — and it will prevent the region’s water woes from intensifying during the next week.
The week ahead
The coming week will have a dry, mild start before clouds increase and give way to rain on Thursday, along with colder temperatures and blustery conditions. There’s even a chance for some high elevation wet snow on Thursday and/or Friday! ❄️
Monday: mainly sunny and rather mild, turning breezy
Tuesday: abundant sunshine
Wednesday: increasing clouds, slightly cooler
Thursday: rain likely, some heavy, cool, and breezy; slight chance for high elevation wet snow
Friday: chilly, cloudy, and windy with showers possible, potentially mixed with wet flakes in the higher elevations
Saturday-Sunday: partly sunny, windy, and cool with a chance for passing showers
Thanksgiving week
🦃 Looking ahead to the week of November 25th, another weather system is looking possible and may move into the region right around the Thanksgiving holiday, plus or minus a day. However, frozen precipitation looks unlikely at this point.
The chart below illustrates the key Hudson Valley weather trends over the next two weeks — a mild start this week followed by a chilly, wetter pattern, then a seasonable start next week with a colder finish.
Flakes flying ❄️
This week’s chilly air will cross the entire country, bringing the season’s first snow to some! The higher elevations of the Northeast will get in on the action later this week, which is good news for ski areas in New England. The map below shows forecast snowfall over the next week.
On the topic of snow, I collaborated with one of the Post’s top visual experts to explore the winter outlook and snowfall trends across the U.S. over the last 60 years. Here’s a gift link for free access!
As snow day season creeps ever closer, consider upgrading your account to premium for early alerts about potential snow events ⤵️
Do a rain dance this week! 💧
Those are some awesome aerial pics of the wildfire and the barge on the Mississippi!!