NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) - As 2025 came to a close, the new year brings a growing need for rain across southeast Louisiana as more spots are considered "abnormally dry." (YELLOW)
The latest National Drought Summary states that "below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures dominated the South...resulting in widespread drought degradation across the region."
The summary also adds that "severe drought (D2) was introduced or expanded in southeast Oklahoma, southeast Texas, west-central Louisiana, eastern Tennessee, parts of central Texas, and northeast Arkansas. Moderate drought (D1) and abnormal dryness (D0) expanded across much of the region."
According to the National Weather Service, New Orleans saw 57.53-inches of precipitation for the 2025 calendar year with the normal value being 63.35-inches putting us slightly under 6-inches to close things out -- here's to a wetter 2026!