EL NIÑO IS COMING!

[quintessentone]

Tell that to my Tomato plants and Peas... 

Yeah, now I have to remap my garden plant locations because of the potential heat waves a coming.

[quintessentone]

Isn't this kind of a big deal?

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"As of mid-May 2026, more than 60% of the United States is experiencing drought conditions, marking one of the most expansive and severe periods in recorded history.  61.47% of the Lower 48 states are currently under drought, with 153.4 million people affected. 
Key Conditions and Trends:

• Severity: Approximately 20% of the country is in Extreme (D3) or Exceptional (D4) drought.  The Southeast is facing unprecedented dryness, with 94% of the area from Florida to Virginia in severe or worse drought, the highest on record for this region. 
  
• Regional Hotspots: California currently shows no drought coverage, but the West (particularly Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada) and the Plains are experiencing worsening conditions due to unseasonable warmth and minimal moisture.  The South remains critically dry, driven by La Niña conditions. 
  
• Historical Context: This spring’s drought footprint is the record-highest for spring in the history of the U.S. Drought Monitor (data back to 2000), covering 62.78% of the country as of late April.  It is only 2-3% behind the all-time record set in September 2012.
  
• Causes: Experts attribute the severity to a combination of La Niña, above-average temperatures increasing evapotranspiration, and a persistent high-pressure system blocking precipitation. 
  

For real-time updates and detailed state-level breakdowns, refer to the U.S. Drought Monitor map released weekly by the National Drought Mitigation Center." (LLM)
 
https://www.drought.gov/current-conditions