U.S. Climate Summary for October 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information released the agency’s October 2022 climate summary this week. Below are some highlights.
Drought
On October 13, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) revealed nearly 82% of the continental U.S. to be abnormally dry or in drought, the largest area affected in the history of the USDM, which launched in 2000. According to the November 1 U.S. Drought Monitor report, about 62.8% of the CONUS was in drought, up about 11.9% from the end of September.
The lowest water levels in the Mississippi River in a decade, caused by a severe Midwest drought, restricted access to the vital channel to barge traffic at a crucial time of the year for the transport of crops from the nation’s heartland.
Temperature
The average temperature of the contiguous U.S. in October was 55.3 °Fahrenheit, which is 1.2 °F above average, ranking in the warmest third of the record.
