The high winds and flooding that recently barreled through the Southwest and continue to make their way north and east are likely a preview of what's to come in the coming months, according to meteorologists.
These El Niño conditions are expected to last well into the fall and maybe even through the winter, according to the National Weather Service. That means northern states will be drier and warmer than usual. And in the Southwest, it likely means increased rainfall and storm activity in typically dry areas, which will increase flood risks.
Utah is also forecasted to see more moisture than average.
But can more rain help with the ongoing drought? Kind of, says Daniel Berc, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The problem is that rain is unpredictable and undirectable.
"If you could tell me that it's a quarter inch every day for two weeks, it would be much better for the water supply than if it all came down at one time," he said.
Just to "ameliorate" the drought along the Colorado River's lower basin states, there would need to be as much as 5 to 8 inches of rain a month in areas that usually don't get that much in an entire year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's drought monitor.
A significant increase in rain, however, can also provide temporary relief among other water resources like groundwater storage supplies.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona, and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
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