Bismarck, ND (KCSi-T.V. News Oct 30, 2012) — The National Weather Service in Bismarck has issued the Flood and Water Resources Outlook, for the James River, and Missouri River basins, in North Dakota.

 

The time period covers October, through late December 2012.

The report says, drought conditions have persisted since early summer, and have affected stream flow, with lower than normal amounts of water making its way into the streams.

However, rains over the past few weeks have improved the stream conditions. Soil moisture which had fallen dramatically across the state through fall have received enough rains to start replenishing what was a very dry surface soil.

 

With the Weather Outlook, the shorter 6-10-day outlooks generally suggest a good chance of above normal temperatures along with an above normal chance of precipitation.

Looking farther into the one month and three month outlooks, the expectation is for an equal chance of below normal, normal, or above normal precipitation, and a near equal chance of below normal, normal, or above normal temperatures.

In general, the expectation of an El Nino pattern going into winter has waned to more of a neutral pattern where a more normal winter is expected, with large differences across the area possible.