It was the second-warmest October for the globe, and large parts of North and South America were drier than average.

Drought expanded rapidly across the country during October, with near-record warmth and dryness dominating large portions of the Lower 48.

Released in 2023, the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) includes an Art × Climate gallery. This image of an oil painting by Jon Bradham captures both the beauty of Lake Mead and the water challenges facing the West.

The expected La Niña has been slow to develop. There's still a 57% chance it will emerge soon, and the atmosphere is already looking a bit like La Niña. Our blogger discusses some of the climate conditions at work in the tropical Pacific.

Summary: Communities in Alaska and Western Canada can find stories and graphics describing how conditions in their region are projected to change over the coming decades.

During the 2020-2022 drought, evaporation accounted for 61 percent of the drought’s severity, while reduced precipitation only accounted for only 39 percent.

Drought data over 2001-2021 suggest that in the western United States, low rainfall drove droughts but in the central and eastern U.S., low soil moisture and high evaporation played a bigger role.

Marine heatwaves create high-pressure atmospheric conditions that weaken coastal circulation in the Gulf of Alaska, reducing the formation of the eddies essential for supporting marine life.

Released in 2023, the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) includes an Art × Climate gallery. This watercolor by Amalija_M was created to inspire greater appreciation of marine life.

October 2024 was record dry across many climate stations in the eastern United States, leading to increasing drought and wildfire concerns.