NEW YORK, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires may be in the news again this winter across the southern tier of the United States as drought persists and expands across the region, USA TODAY on Friday cited experts.
"Fire is probably the biggest danger going into winter," said climatologist and drought expert Brian Fuchs.
Long-promised La Niña conditions are still expected to develop, perhaps as early as January, which typically lead to a more northerly storm track during the winter months, leaving the southern tier of the country warmer and drier, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. As a result, forecasters expect drought conditions to persist and worsen across the southern United States.
"The places to watch will definitely be the Southwest, Southeast and how much of the southern Plains ends up reverting back into drought over the next several months," said Fuchs of the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Overall, 38.9 percent of the contiguous United States is in drought, which is down about 13 percent since early November, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor.
Looking ahead, other than the risk for wildfires, "drought impacts are typically less pronounced during the winter, but some longer-term hydrology issues remain, including below-normal soil moisture and streamflow, particularly across portions of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois," according to a report on Drought.gov. ■