Storyline: Almost the entire United States faced drought conditions during the last week of October 2024.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a staggering 87% of the United States was engulfed in at least moderate drought conditions, marking a historic moment in the monitor's records. Only Alaska and Kentucky were spared from this widespread crisis.
Details: The past four months have been consistently warmer than usual over a wide swath of the country, said Rich Tinker, a drought specialist with the National Weather Service. But in June, while a quarter of the country was dry, now 87 percent is.
Even after Hurricane Helene dropped vast amounts of destructive rain across the Southeast, the region is experiencing drought. When all the water comes at once, it's more difficult for soil to soak it up or for water storage to contain it. Since the storm and warmer temperatures, the result has been higher evaporation rates and drier soils.
Conserve Every Drop. The drought in New York City, the driest October since record-keeping began in 1869, prompted the city to issue a drought watch for its 9.8 million residents. This serves as a stark reminder of the importance of water efficiency. New Yorkers were urged to 'conserve every drop' of water possible, highlighting the crucial role of individual efforts in addressing this crisis.
Climate Change. While scientists don't yet know the exact role climate change played in the current drought, it is notable for its widespread nature, said Benjamin Cook, a climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
"Often we get regional droughts concentrated in the Southwest or Texas, but to have nearly the entire country dry or experiencing drought conditions is pretty rare," Dr. Cook said.
Brighter Future? The potential onset of La Niña conditions this fall or winter could significantly impact the drought. While it could worsen conditions across the country's southern half, the Northeast is in a state of uncertainty.
Dr. Cook suggests that the coming months could either continue the trend of warm and dry weather or bring a much-needed deluge of rain and snow.
"With precipitation on the uptick and temperatures, it does look like we're going to be in a good trajectory," Mr. Tinker said. "But it's been pretty dry and warm for quite a while, so we won't pop out immediately."
Source: In a Record, All but Two U.S. States Are in Drought; The New York Times, November 4, 2024
