Following a wet beginning to August in much of the Northeast, precipitation has been well below the historical average since then. This month, some locations are on pace for their driest October on record. In fact, some places may have their driest all-time month.
Drought which rapidly expanded in Ohio and West Virginia late in the summer has now stretched into the Northeast this fall. While the drought is not as bad as farther west, portions of the region are now in moderate to severe drought.
Although the sun angle is not as high as it is during the summer, the drought has been exacerbated by temperatures above the historical average. Despite some frosty mornings over the interior Northeast, the dryness of both the air and the ground have led to warm afternoons. When the ground is dry, less of the sun’s energy needs to go into evaporating moisture. This allows for more efficient heating of the air.
On Monday, some locations are forecast to be well above the historical average. Several cities are even likely to challenge daily records.