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Climate Scientist: Expect Another Dry Summer

This year, Missouri has reported a 28% decrease in corn crop yields due to the devastating summer drought.
Samantha Powers
/
KRCU

Climate scientists at the University of Missouri are predicting that the coming summer will be dry, but not as bad as last year.

Anthony Lupo is a Professor of Atmospheric Science.  His model is based on historical patterns and statistics, not on week-to-week forecasts.

"At this point we're projecting that things will be on the warm side of normal for this summer, not anywhere near like last year, but still a little warmer than normal and a little drier than normal,” Lupo said.

Given that, Lupo says it's hard to say exactly how the state will fare one year after one of the worst droughts in recent time.

"We could get all of our rain on one day in June, and it wouldn't rain for the rest of the summer-that would be bad,” Lupo said. “If we were to get rain in timely doses and at the right time for planting, you can still be below normal and get by."

Lupo notes that even if we do get more rain, dry soils left from multiple years of drought could still result in higher than average temperatures.

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