You’ll recall that the drought in the southeastern United States since late last summer was caused, according to climate scientists, by La Niña. La Niña is a large patch of abnormally cold water in the equatorial Pacific which alters how rainfall moves up from the south toward the southeastern United States. NOAA says that these equatorial ocean currents are warming up, which means that La Niña is weakening. NOAA says, though, that La Niña will persist for another three months.
This latest update from NOAA on La Niña does not specifically mention the southeastern United States, but it does say that below average rainfall will continue in the southwest, from Texas to Nevada.
With luck, the good spring rains we’ve been having here in northwestern North Carolina will continue.