SPOKANE, Wash. — Spring is here and now we are getting a good idea of what kind of weather to expect over the next three months across the country with NOAA’s Spring Weather Outlook.
The outlook is broken into four categories: temperature, precipitation, flooding, and drought.
The Inland Northwest's spring outlook is below:
- Temperature: 40-50% chance above normal
- Precipitation: equal chances for above, below, or near normal
- Flooding: Minor flooding for southeastern Washington and the Palouse
- Drought: No issues
The primary focus in 2019 is the continuation of historic flooding in the nation’s heartland. A significant combination of heavy rain and snowmelt out of winter has already resulted in major flooding and the worst hit areas will be entire Mississippi River, Missouri River, and Red River of the North valleys. A large portion of the eastern U.S. will likely experience some form of minor flooding.
Flash flooding can strike anywhere, whether or not you are in a high risk area or not. It’s still important to monitor daily forecasts and pay attention to flash flood warnings and alerts when they are issued.