Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Southern

June 2018

National – Significant Events for May and Spring, 2018

Highlights for the Region

Temperatures varied spatially throughout 

the Southern Region. The western part 

of the region experienced above normal 

temperatures, and the remainder of 

the region experienced near normal 

temperatures.

 Spring precipitation also varied spatially 

throughout the Southern Region. Parts 

of Texas and Oklahoma received 25 

percent or less of normal precipitation, 

and parts of western Tennessee and 

south central Mississippi received 150–

200 percent above normal precipitation.

 The main climate impact for spring 

in the Southern Region was extreme 

temperatures. In April, temperatures 

were well below normal, and in May the 

temperatures were well above normal. 

May 2018 was also the region's warmest 

May on record. 

The average U.S. temperature during May was 65.4°F, 5.2°F above average, and the 

warmest on record. The spring average U.S. temperature was 52.4°F, 1.5°F above 

average. The May U.S. precipitation was 2.97 inches, 0.06 inch above average. The spring 

average U.S. precipitation was 7.91 inches, 0.03 inch below average.

Regional – Climate Overview for March to May 2018

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies

Departure from Normal (F) 

3/01/2018–5/31/2018

Overall, temperatures throughout 

most of the Southern Region were 

between 2°F below to 5°F above 

normal for the period spanning from 

March to May 2018. There were areas 

of 3–5°F above normal temperatures 

in Texas and Oklahoma. There were 

a few areas in eastern Louisiana, 

Mississippi, and Tennessee that were 

1–2°F below normal. 

Percent of Normal (%)

3/01/2018–5/31/2018

Spring precipitation varied spatially 

throughout the Southern Region. 

Areas in western Texas received 

25 percent or less of normal 

precipitation. In contrast, areas of 

south central Mississippi and eastern 

Tennessee received 150–200 percent 

of normal precipitation. Most areas in 

the central part of the region received 

near normal precipitation. 

Streamflows

May average streamflow 

versus historical streamflow

This figure illustrates May average 

streamflows in the Texas Gulf and 

Lower Mississippi Basins as compared 

to historical streamflows. Louisiana, 

Tennessee, and Mississippi have near 

normal streamflow. Eastern Texas and 

southern Arkansas are experiencing 

below normal streamflow. Northern 

Mississippi is experiencing above 

normal streamflow. 

Southern Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook | June 2018

https://www.drought.gov/drought/resources/reports

Contact: Rudy Bartels (rbartels@srcc.lsu.edu)
Regional Impacts — For March to May 2018

Extreme Temperatures

April temperatures were well below normal for parts of the Southern Region. In contrast, May was the warmest May 

on record for the Southern Region (1895–2018). In April, western Tennessee, north and central Arkansas, central 

and northeastern Oklahoma, and an area in central Texas experienced temperatures 6° to 8°F (3.33° to 4.44°C) 

below normal. Most of Arkansas and Oklahoma, central and western Tennessee, northern, central, and southeast 

Mississippi, central and southern Louisiana, and northeastern Texas were 4° to 6°F (2.22° to 3.33°C) below normal. May 

temperatures were above normal throughout most of the Southern Region. Western Oklahoma and northern Texas 

experienced temperatures 8° to 10°F (4.44° to 5.55°C) above normal. Most of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, 

northern, central and western Texas, northern Louisiana, and northern and central Mississippi experienced 4° to 8°F 

(2.22° to 4.44°C) above normal. There were only a few areas in southwest Texas that experienced slightly below normal 

temperatures. The statewide temperature rankings for May were as follows: Arkansas (first warmest), Louisiana (third 

warmest), Mississippi (fourth warmest), Oklahoma (first warmest), Tennessee (second warmest), and Texas (second 

warmest).

Above: Departure from normal temperature in April (left), in May (middle), and May temperature ranks (right).

CPC –Three-Month Outlook

Temperature Precipitation

Outlook for June to August 2018

A = Above normal temperatures EC = Equal chances 

B = Below normal rainfall N = Normal

According to the Climate Prediction Center, June through August temperatures 

for the Southern Region are expected to be above normal, continuing the 

pattern of recent weeks. Chances are highest in far western Texas and decrease 

from west to east across the region.

There is an equal chance of above or below normal precipitation from June 

through August across most of the Southern Region. Tennessee, eastern 

Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana have a chance of receiving above normal 

precipitation.

 Hurricane Outlook

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center 

is calling for a 75 percent chance of a 

near to above normal 2018 Atlantic 

tropical cyclone season. CPC calls 

for a 70 percent likelihood of 10

–16 named storms (average: 12), 5–9 

hurricanes (average: 6), and 1–4 major 

hurricanes (average: 3). 

Gulf Regional Partners

Contact: Rudy Bartels (rbartels@srcc.lsu.edu)

#regionalclimateoutlooks

Southern Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook | June 2018 

https://www.drought.gov/drought/resources/reports

Earth Scan Laboratory at Louisiana State 

University (esl.lsu.edu)

NOAA/NWS Climate Prediction Center 

(cpc.noaa.gov)

NOAA/NOS Gulf of Mexico Coastal Services 

Center (csc.noaa.gov)

NOAA Gulf of Mexico Collaboration Team 

(regions.noaa.gov)

NOAA/NESDIS National Centers for 

Environmental Information (ncei.noaa.gov)

NOAA/NWS Southern Region (srh.noaa.gov)

Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program 

(southernclimate.org)

Southern Regional Climate Center 

(srcc.lsu.edu)