KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Fall is well underway as people around the country and in East Tennessee are gearing up for what could be an interesting season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center have released the October 2022 outlook for temperatures and precipitation on Monday, showing what could be a warmer and wetter-than-average month for much of the country.
But in East Tennessee, that isn’t exactly the case. While the climate outlook maps released by NOAA and NWSCPC are not a forecast for the “absolute” temperatures or precipitation amounts, the outlooks are possible.
Temperature
October is looking to be a warmer-than-average month for most of the western, central and southeastern U.S. but in the mid-Atlantic and southern northeast, October is likely to be cooler-than-average.
This is about where Tennessee appears to be on the temperature map released by the agencies, showing the contiguous U.S. – painted in three of the four temperature colors.
The portion of East Tennessee, painted in white, indicates “equal chances” while the tan and orange colors indicate “warmer than normal” conditions.
“The odds favoring a well below average October in the Mid-Atlantic are influenced by the passage of the remnants of Hurricane Ian during the beginning of month,” the full article states. “Not only are the clouds and rain from the storm likely to increase the chances for cooler temperatures, but after the storm moves through, northerly winds are expected to bringing cooler temperatures during the first half of the month.”
Precipitation
The report outlook is predicting a wetter-than-average month of the mid-Atlantic and the front range in Colorado; whereas the central part of the U.S. is expected to be drier-than-average.
East Tennessee is once again painted in white on the map; indicating an “equal chances” probability of precipitation outcomes in October.
NOAA and NWS clarify that just like with the temperature outlook, the precipitation outlook is also influenced by the passage of Hurricane Ian.
Drought is also discussed in the October 2022 outlook. Since Sept. 27, around half of the contiguous U.S. was in drought, according to NOAA/NWS. The report also states that for October, the western drought is expected to remain.
You can see the full October 2022 U.S. Climate Outlook here.
