While many areas in the eastern half of the U.S. have endured torrential rain and flash flooding over the past few weeks, States west of the Rocky Mountains have been plagued by drought, extreme heat and, at times, strong winds. As a result, every Western State currently has active wildfires.
As reported earlier this week, the Southwest Monsoon has not materialized this year, depriving the region of vital seasonal moisture. This morning, smoke from the fires has spread southward behind a cold front, producing extremely poor air quality along the Front Range urban corridor.
An inland moving tropical system would appear necessary to put an end to the tinder dry conditions across the West but such relief is currently not in sight. Weather patterns responsible for the East-West discrepancy are, for now, firmly entrenched.
