Higher-than-average rainfall expected from this winter’s El Niño will likely wipe out most of Arizona’s drought conditions.
Arizona has a 40 to 60 percent chance for above normal rainfall amounts this winter. Federal climate predictor Jon Gottschalck said that bodes well for alleviating the state’s persistent moderate drought conditions.
“Basically, we expect that to be improved down to at the minimum D-zero or abnormally dry category in that area," said Gottschalck.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gottschalck said an area between the Salt and Gila rivers east of Phoenix should improve from severe to moderate drought conditions by the end of February.
U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook
Click and drag the bar to see the outlook from the same period last year.
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