“Feast or famine” was the theme for the Southeast this past month, with most of the region either very wet or very dry. Significant flooding occurred in coastal areas impacted by Hurricane Debby. The region’s interior increasingly dried out after a wet July, with some locations on track to record their driest summer on record. Hurricane Ernesto brought heavy rain and high winds to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are still waiting for La Niña to appear, which is now expected in the fall. 

Looking ahead, above-average temperatures are expected across most of the region. Drought is expected to develop and expand in the interior including northern Alabama and Tennessee. Some wet patterns are expected after next week, which will help reverse the trend of dryness these past few weeks. While tropical activity is quiet now, a continued active hurricane season is still expected. The potential for flooding is highly dependent on where tropical storms develop and impact the area. 

Check out the recording below to hear more on Southeast climate conditions and a special presentation, "The New National Water Prediction Service,” from Laura Belanger at the National Weather Service (NWS) Peachtree City Weather Forecast Office.