Prevailing climatic conditions during 1995 - May through October
Flooding due to active tropical Atlantic inputs at the beginning of the season across
the Central states gradually diminished and serious drying took place underneath the core
of a dominant upper level ridge during August. Much of the West was unusually wet at the
beginning of the season. In contrast, dryness intensified in the Northeast, while hot,
breezy weather dried topsoils in the northern Corn Belt. Hot spells affected the central
Plains to the Northeast in July and nearly nationwide for 4 weeks beginning in early
August. Dryness persisted or developed in much of the East, and seasonal rains failed to
materialize in the Southwest. According to climatological records, the Nation experienced
the 24th driest summer in the past 101 years while the Northeast region
recorded the second driest season in 101 years. Summer temperature approached record
levels from the Great Lakes States eastwards, regionally paced by the Northeast (third
hottest summer) and the East North Central (fifth hottest) regions.
