BUFFALO, N.Y. — Just before the season begins on Saturday, the official Spring flood, temperature and precipitation outlooks for the United States were issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
These outlooks, which span across a three month timeframe, signal how climate influences could shape forecasts regionally across the United States. In all, the Northeast (and Western New York) could experience more stretches of above-average temperatures and precipitation chances with no major risk of widespread flooding from April through June. Below is a breakdown of each of the three outlooks.
First, the 2021 U.S. Spring Flood Outlook: Issued a week earlier than in 2020, this year's outlook keeps much of the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio River Basins under minor to moderate flood risk, which has been a reoccurring forecast over the past few years. This is because of the chance for significant rainfall events and elevated river levels from snowmelt. The Coastal Plains and Carolinas also have a greater chance for flooding this year than last because of flooding that's already occurring.
But the good news is that this year's spring flood threat is much lower than in 2020 with no region of the continental United States with a greater than 50 percent chance of major flooding.
As for temperatures, most of the country has a better chance of experiencing warmer-than-normal temperatures April through June. The only exceptions are portions of the Pacific Northwest and coastal Alaska.
As for precipitation, above-normal or a wetter spring favors much of the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast while below-average and drier conditions are expected across the southern Plains and Western states.
