MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –– MetroNews Accuweather Meteorologist Jeff Nordean said recent rains have brought the state out of exceptional and extreme drought conditions.
On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Nordean said combined rain totals for November (3.81 in the Morgantown area) and December (0.78 so far in the Morgantown area) have toned down some of the colors of the U.S. Drought Monitor map.
“There is no level D-5, there’s no D-4, and there’s only five percent of West Virginia that’s in a D-3 (eastern panhandle),” Nordean said.
Year-to-date rainfall totals in the Morgantown area show late showers have allowed the northern part of the state to recover to more than 95 percent of average annual precipitation. That number falls off as you travel into the southern part of the state.
“That being said, I can’t say that for other areas. Charleston is only at 85 percent, and then there are areas that are 10 to 15 percent,” Nordean said. “It really depends on where you’re looking.”
Looking at an extended winter forecast, Nordean said what we would expect to be the coldest months of the year are projected to be a few degrees warmer than normal.
“The winter season through February of 2025 is expected to be about two to three degrees higher than the average temperature for those three months combined,” Nordean said.
In the near term, Nordean said December will be colder than average with the chance for slightly higher precipitation amounts. As for a white Christmas, he expects those in the southeastern part of the state to have the best opportunity.
“For December of 2024 it’s going to be three to four degrees below normal for the month,” Nordean said. “Despite what we have in front of us—the mid-50s.”