Weather Forecast: September Expected to Be Hot and Dry
Listen to the story
According to a new four-week forecast, September is expected to bring hot and dry weather. Meteorologists have looked at weather patterns for the coming weeks to make this prediction.
One question people are asking is whether more heatwaves will happen in the next few weeks. A heatwave is a period of unusually hot weather that can last several days.
This concern comes after a period of historic drought. A drought means very little or no rain over a long time, which dries out soil and rivers.
The forecast also raises the possibility that the weather could change later, bringing storms. Storms usually involve strong winds and heavy rain.
Experts are worried about what happens when storms return after a long drought. Because the ground has become extremely dry, it may not absorb rainwater quickly enough.
This could lead to flooding, since water runs off hard, dry soil instead of soaking into it. Floods happen when land that is normally dry becomes covered with water.
So there are two connected worries: continued hot, dry conditions in the short term, and a risk of sudden flooding if heavy storms follow the drought.
Weather forecasters say it is still too early to know exactly what will happen. Four-week forecasts can give a general idea, but the details can change as new information comes in.
For now, the message is clear: expect a warm and dry September, but keep an eye on later storm risks.
Vocabulary10 words
- forecast
- a prediction about future weather
- heatwave
- many very hot days in a row
- drought
- a long period with little or no rain
- storm
- bad weather with strong wind and heavy rain
- absorb
- to take in, like water into soil
- flooding
- when water covers land that is usually dry
- meteorologist
- a scientist who studies the weather
- soil
- the top layer of earth where plants grow
- risk
- the chance that something bad could happen
- pattern
- a way something usually happens or repeats
Quiz
Answer key
1. Hot and dry weather 2. Dry ground may not absorb water quickly, causing floods 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
According to a new four-week _____, September is expected to bring hot and dry weather.
One question people are asking is whether more _____ will happen in the next few weeks.
This concern comes after a period of historic _____.
The forecast also raises the possibility that the weather could change later, bringing _____.
Because the ground has become extremely dry, it may not _____ rainwater quickly enough.
This could lead to _____, since water runs off hard, dry soil instead of soaking into it.
Weather forecasters say it is still too early to know exactly what will _____.
For now, the message is clear: expect a warm and dry September, but keep an eye on later storm _____.
Discussion questions
- Why might a long drought make later storms more dangerous?
- Do you think four-week weather forecasts are reliable? Why or why not?
- Have you experienced a heatwave or drought recently? What was it like?
- What can people or governments do to prepare for possible flooding after a drought?