AccuWeather said drought concerns could linger for years in parts of the Plains after El Niño conditions peak, especially from Texas northward into the Dakotas.
“Following the end of El Niño, the next two to three years could end up being significantly drier, leading to drought conditions, especially in parts of the plains from west Texas to the Dakotas,” Pastelok said. “El Niño patterns tend to be persistent, meaning places that end up drier than average can stay that way for an extended period of time, possibly for months or even years.”
Central Plains: The Plains could see lingering drought impacts even after the strongest El Niño conditions subside.
AccuWeather warned that pockets of severe to extreme drought could extend well into 2027 and potentially beyond in parts of the Plains from Texas to North Dakota.
That could affect agriculture, water supplies, wildfire risk and regional heat patterns.