As the calendar marched on, tornadoes and wildfires left devastation in parts of the Plains.
A tornado outbreak occurred in Texas and Oklahoma on March 21. Tragically, one person was killed with dozens of others injured in the tornadoes that day, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Many communities were left picking up the pieces following the tornadoes.
Now to the wildfires, dry fuels, dry air, gusty winds and warm temperatures led to the rapid spread of several wildfires from Texas to Nebraska.
Homes were destroyed in the Eastland Complex Fire in Texas which scorched thousands of acres. Also in Texas, the Big L Fire left thousands of acres burned.
The lack of moisture certainly only adds to fire concerns. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dalhart, Texas, had only 0.07 inches of precipitation from Jan. 1 to March 20 which is well below normal.
Unfortunately, precipitation will still be lacking for the month of April from Nebraska south into Texas. The longer range forecast still reflects precipitation numbers staying below seasonal norms through June for that same area.
This will allow drought conditions to persist or develop for the southern to central Plains with a few exceptions. These exceptions include far southern Texas along with the eastern portions of Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.
For April, above normal temperatures are expected from Texas into Nebraska.
That trend is an even forecast to remain further out through the next three months for temperatures.
In the global view, La Niña remains in place as indicated by atmospheric and oceanic conditions. La Niña is expected to continue through at least summer, following that there are still questions whether La Niña will stick around longer or if we will see a transition to ENSO-Neutral.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for next month’s update.
Editor’s note: Regina Bird grew up on a farm near Belleville, Kansas. The views from the farm helped spur her interest in weather. Following high school, she went on to get a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Kansas. She currently works as a meteorologist for NTV and KFXL in central Nebraska. Follow her on Twitter: @ReginaBirdWX
