Flash Drought engulfed the US Southeast in September 2019

A potent combination of record-breaking heat and a lack of rain has led to the rapid development of drought across the southeastern United States and Tennessee and Ohio Valleys during September 2019.

Coming off an extremely wet 2018 east of the Rockies, the fast onset of widespread extensive drought has been quite the climate whiplash for millions across the Southeast.  With warmer than average temperatures expected to continue and October being a generally dry month based on climatology, drought conditions are likely to continue and possibly expand.

The rapid onset and severity of the event qualified it as a “Flash drought.” Generally, droughts are caused by a lack of precipitation over an extended period of time.

As rains didn’t fall, temperatures soared. September was among the five hottest Septembers on record for every state in the entire Southeast U.S. New Orleans, for instance, recorded its driest and warmest September on record with 7 daily record highs set during the month.

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/flash-drought-engulfs-us-southeast-september-2019