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Wet, Cool Conditions To Continue

NOAA

Wet, cool conditions will continue for the time being, according to the National Weather Service.

Mary Lamm is hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah. She says we aren’t in an El Niño or La Niña pattern this year. Rather, the region is mainly being affected by the North Atlantic Oscillation.

“That’s a persistent area of upper-level low pressure across the Canadian maritimes. It keeps us in a northwest flow,” Lamm said. “We’re cooler and little wetter than normal. But we’re not getting the heavy rainfall that we would normally associate with the good Gulf moisture.”

Lamm says this pattern will help with the drought.

“Well actually after last year, this is great for drought conditions. We’re having normal to above normal rainfall. So we’re getting ourselves set up for a decent summer, as long as the rains don’t cut off at some point like they did last year,” Lamm said.

Forecasters predict above normal temperatures and above average precipitation between April and June across the northern parts of the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys.

Lamm predicts river crests will be pretty average throughout the spring.

The most recent Drought Monitor shows drought conditions have subsided across all of Southeast Missouri.

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