NOAA’s Spring Drought Outlook: What It Means For North Dakota

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) just released its spring drought outlook for the United States.

Will the Wet Pattern Continue for North Dakota? 

We've been lucky over the last year. We have been one of the few states that has been able to be mostly drought-free. In fact, there were several drought monitors last year that showed North Dakota as the only state that did not have even one section of the state to be considered in a drought. As we all know, things can change quickly when it comes to precipitation, and we are due for a drier pattern. That would be the bad news. The good news, it doesn't appear that it will happen this spring.

A Shift in the La Nina Pattern is Coming

According to an article from NOAA, we are expected to transition this spring from a La Niña pattern to a neutral pattern that is neither La Niña nor El Niño. This is expected to cause the drought to expand or worsen in the west and south-central plains states. Thankfully, North Dakota's stretch of drought-free weather is expected to continue. Take a look at this map from NOAA and SnoWest Forums.

North Dakota will remain on the moist side, but drought is certainly expected to creep closer to our borders.