A gigantic swath of high wind and attendant Red Flag Warnings are issued this morning extending from the Great Plains and Texas to the Ohio and Tennessee Valley(s). The expansive high wind event is extremely effective at drying soil conditions. The evaporative drought demand index (EDDI) is highlighting the Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest as areas of potential drought development or strengthening of existing drought.

A primary concern is whether presence of dry-to-drought conditions across the eastern half of Europe to Southwest Russia and the Black Sea region will worsen mid-to-late spring and summer. The outlooks support intensification as the presence of upper-level ridging to warm and dry this region well-supported by the correlating SSTA forecasts.