October 2024 has set several records in the United States as the driest month on record, Space.com reports, UNN writes.
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"A changing climate continues to contribute to another record-breaking month with extreme temperatures and expanding drought across much of the United States," the report said.
About 80 climate stations across the country set new records, reporting that October 2024 was the driest month on record, according to a recent statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Among the major cities in the eastern United States that reached record levels were New York, Newark, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.
At the same time, another 50 climate stations recorded the driest October on record, including Detroit, St. Louis, Memphis, and John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Measured precipitation of 0.02 cm or more was minimal in the eastern United States during October, which NOAA forecasters say happens "quite rarely.
Many places recorded more than 30 days without precipitation, including Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Columbia, South Carolina. Preliminary NOAA data showed that, with the exception of Florida, which received significant amounts of rain from Hurricane Milton within 24 hours, rainfall in October across the eastern United States ranged from 25% or less of normal to near normal.
In addition to being historically dry this October, it was also abnormally warm with new records set at both state and national levels. NOAA's monthly climate report in the US showed that the US conditional average temperature for the month, 15 degrees Celsius, ranked second in the 130-year climate record for the country, behind October 1963.
The states with the warmest October on record were Texas, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, and 14 other states were among the top ten warmest in the record books.
The U.S. Drought Monitor report released on October 29 states that in the lower 48 states, the number of states experiencing drought conditions has increased to 87.16%, a new record for the program since its launch 25 years ago.
In fact, comparing the situation on October 1, 2024 to November 5, 2024, the drought level increased from one to three categories during this period of time. As a result, forest fire activity has increased markedly in parts of the northeast, and winter crop sowing has been postponed in the southeast.
La Niña could cause severe drought in the US plains during the winter months28.10.24, 18:14