El Niño Rainfall Eases Drought, Raises Flood Risks

El Niño-associated rain has eased drought across parts of the western and southern United States, including Utah, where the share of the state in drought fell sharply, and the Southern Plains, where October moisture improved conditions for planting winter wheat. Forecasters expect above-normal precipitation to continue in the Southern Plains, potentially supporting a rebound in the 2026–27 wheat crop after a dry spring. But the heavy precipitation has also caused flooding in mountain areas, and officials in Southland, New Zealand, warn that wetter, windier conditions could raise flood, erosion and runoff risks and complicate farm work on saturated soils.