We finally got that rain we were hoping for the question is how much of a difference did it make in drought conditions across the Carolinas for that I turn to NC Assistant State Climatologist Corey Davis , as we do each week at this time. Man, it was a wet weekend. Tell me what did we actually get out of that and how much did it chip away at our deficits?
Well, Mike, we talked last week about why good forecasts go bad in reference to the forecast for the previous weekend when we were expecting some decent rain and really saw next to nothing at all. But last weekend was a case where the forecast definitely delivered at least on the rainfall totals we saw pretty widespread totals of two to three inches across the western half of North Carolina. Down in South Carolina totals varied a little bit more only about a quarter inch down in the Charleston area but some places in the upstate still did see pretty good totals two and a half to three inches in some spots. So again, a good solid rain event and there were even some other hazards as some strong winds in that tornado and garner last Sunday afternoon. So a very powerful weather system, but just focusing on the rainfall and the improvements that that made. It’s a little bit tough this time of the year to say how that affected agriculture. There’s not as many crops in the ground right now. We know at the end of November that some of the pastures had been in pretty poor shape. So we’re expecting that rain will at least I’ve helped those along a little bit more. We have
Another weekend and another system coming through. Tell me what you’re seeing.
That’s right, this storm that’s coming through on Saturday night and Sunday looks like it’ll be really strong, really impressive, and makes her for some very wet and windy weather, especially during the day. On Sunday. And today we’re watching low pressure developing over the Gulf of Mexico. That system will then lift northward. There’s still some uncertainty on the exact track weather it may track a little further westward and come more up the Appalachians are tracked a little further eastward and really go right up the coastline. But no matter where it goes, we’re looking at wet conditions forecast showing at least an inch and a half of rain and some forecast showing maybe two to three inches of rain in some areas just during the day on Sunday. And also wind gusts to 40 to 50 miles an hour are possible. So when we talk about what that El Nino pattern looks like, I’m going to point to this system Mike and say this is exactly yet. These are the storms that are developing over the Gulf and bringing in lots of moisture that are then carried by the jet stream pretty much right over us in the Carolinas. I think this could be the first really good example of that for the winter. And again, we don’t think that this is going to be the last system like that, but we’ll see this season the El Nino pattern ever written that is continuing to strengthen. Looks like it’ll be favorable for more pretty wet events like this one.