The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently announced that more floods are expected in 23 States this Spring season. Luckily though, as forecasted by the agency late last week that the flooding this year would not be as bad as what happened last year which devastated crops and swamped the Midwest.
NOAA added the flooding continues to be an aspect for a lot of many Americans this season of spring, "with major to moderate floods" possibly to take place in 23 states. This was what National Weather Service deputy director, Mary Erickson told the New York Times.
This year's flooding, according to NOAA, is expected to impact portions of the Midwest, the Southeast, and the Rust Belt, to the Gulf Coast. In addition, the agency forecasted that the most important flood potential is to take place in the northern Plains, as well as Minnesota, and the "upper Midwest of South and North Dakota. Furthermore, portions of Illinois and Iowa may experience heavy floods, too. As reported by The Weather Channel.
Over 120 Million People to Witness the Flooding this Spring
Essentially, NOAA is expecting roughly 128 million individuals, or about a-thirds of the American population to see or witness flooding this spring, with about 1.2 million projected to experience some sort of major flooding in the said states.
This was according to NOAA's National Weather Center director, Ed Clark. Clark said, as reported in the USA Today that, numerous factors have gone into the prediction of the agency which includes the ongoing rainfall, as well as the saturated soils and the rising likelihood of "above-average downpour," also this season.
One of the many factors that contribute to the threat of flooding is that soil in various eastern and central states is already extremely saturated, not to mention the rivers that are running high. Meaning, the heavy downpour, according to The Weather Channel, can possibly trigger the flooding.
Almost every day, Clark explained, perilous flooding happens somewhere in the US, as well as the widespread flooding is in the prediction for various states in the months yet to come. Additionally, the weather center's director explained, the heavy rains are likely to result in "larger than the usual dead zone this summer, in the Gulf Mexico."
Some Good News for the Farmers this Year
While the farmers didn't get their chance to plant last year as a result of flooding, as the predictions have it, they are not going to experience anything as radical as what happened in 2019. However, they should expect some delays in terms of planting. This was what the Department of Agriculture meteorologist, Brad Rippey told The New York Times. And, as a huge swath of lower states, 48 of them, in particular, should assume heavier rainfall than the average, similar occurrence seems true for Alaska.
Drought conditions, on the other hand, are anticipated to continue or get worse in California, in portions of the Pacific Northwest, in some parts of Southern Texas, and the southern part of Rockies, according to NOAA, and reported in The New York Times.
Finally, not even a single part of the US is expected to see temperatures that are below the average this spring, shaping up among the hottest years recorded. AccuWeather CEO and founder, Joel Myers said, there is nearly no part of the country that's predicted to be lower than the normal "in any of the normal which is not typical." What the founder and CEO said is was also reported by The Weather Channel, adding, this occurrence may be the first.
