STORM2K

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2595.htm

You can read the whole outlook at link above that highlights the drought and fires in the SW and Southern Plains.Above average temperatures are expected in the South and Southeast U.S and near normal in the North and Northeast.Dennis I guess that you may not like this outlook for you.

cctxhurricanewatcher wrote::cry:

Not good for you guys...

Of all the months in that outlook, the one we DON'T want to have warmer than normal is June which is a blowtorch already.

Steve

Argh, not good for the Southern Plains who desperately need the rain.

I believe though the Mississippi R. Valley will be above average in terms of rainfall this spring. Plains droughts usually push the dryline further east toward the MS and OH R. Valleys, thus more svr outbreaks in those areas.

I'm sorry to see that forecast for those of you in the South and SW.

What do you know, another drier and warmer than normal spring for my area . I swear this has been happening EVERY year for at least the past 4 or 5 years...drought conditions to start off summer. Let's hope this forecast doesn't pan out.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1013 PM CST THU MAR 16 2006

LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-172200-
VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-
CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-
CAMERON-VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-LOWER ST. MARTIN-TYLER-JASPER-
NEWTON-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LEESVILLE...ALEXANDRIA...MARKSVILLE...
DERIDDER...OAKDALE...VILLE PLATTE...OPELOUSAS...LAKE CHARLES...
JENNINGS...CROWLEY...LAFAYETTE...ST. MARTINVILLE...CAMERON...
ABBEVILLE...NEW IBERIA...MORGAN CITY...WOODVILLE...JASPER...
NEWTON...LUMBERTON...BEAUMONT/PORT ARTHUR...ORANGE
1013 PM CST THU MAR 16 2006

...A WARMER AND DRIER THAN NORMAL SPRING EXPECTED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED ITS SPRING OUTLOOK FOR
APRIL THROUGH JUNE. THESE TYPE OF OUTLOOKS ARE STATED ON THE
CHANCE THAT THE AVERAGE RAINFALL OR TEMPERATURE FOR THIS SPRING
WILL BE EITHER ABOVE OR BELOW THE 30 YEAR NORMAL. A FORECAST OF
EQUAL CHANCES IS JUST THAT...THE PROBABILITY THAT THE AVERAGE WILL
BE ABOVE...BELOW...OR NEAR NORMAL IS ROUGHLY THE SAME.

WITH THAT SAID...THE FORECAST IS SHOWING A HIGHER PROBABILITY THAT
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND LOUISIANA WILL BE DRIER AND WARMER THAN THE 30
YEAR NORMAL. EVEN HIGHER PROBABILITIES OF WARMER AND DRIER
CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND MIDWEST SECTIONS OF
THE UNITED STATES.

THE LASTEST DROUGHT MONITOR RELEASED EARLIER TODAY INDICATES
MODERATE DROUGHT ACROSS COASTAL SOUTHEAST TEXAS...AND ADNORMALLY
DRY CONDITIONS EXTENDING ACROSS INLAND SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND ALONG
THE COASTAL PARISHES OF LOUISIANA...OR BASICALLY I-10 TO THE COAST.

WITH A HIGHER PROBABILITY OF A WARMER AND DRIER SPRING...IT IS
EXPECTED THAT THE DROUGHT WILL ONLY WORSEN AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS
THE AREA. THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS AREA RAINFALL SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR..NORMAL PRECIPITATION TO DATE...AND
DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL.

OBSERVED RAINFALL NORMAL RAINFALL PERCENT
STATION SINCE JANUARY 1ST SINCE JANUARY 1ST OF NORMAL
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ALEXANDRIA 12.09 13.93 87%
BEAUMONT 3.80 10.94 35%
LAKE CHARLES 4.66 10.62 44%
LAFAYETTE 8.11 12.73 64%
NEW IBERIA 4.07 10.82 38%