It predicted the summer of 1999 and this past winter correctly. Typically, winter during a La Nina is colder than normal, but the service s outlook last fall did not predict colder than normal temperatures. And they were right again, Hillaker says. The fact the Weather Service issued a much-different outlook for this summer maybe makes you have a bit more confidence given its recent predictions. The warmer and drier outlook presented in mid-March looks a bit more certain than the earlier forecast, given the outlooks for the summer 1999 and this past winter.
Good news does exist.
Kansas, parts of Oklahoma, west Texas and western Louisiana have seen quite a bit of rain recently. Hillaker calls this a good start, but says it could turn around.