Epi Week #24 - 2015 General Statements | Central Mass Mosquito Control Project

The mosquito season appears to be off to a slow start, although with several Projects/Districts yet to submit any samples for arbovirus testing, the full picture remains unclear. Recent inclement weather is likely to ramp up populations of floodwater species.

Weather

While the western part of the state, most of Cape Cod, and parts of Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester counties all experienced rain in the .75-1.5” range, the state ended Epi Week 24 at the same drought levels as last week, with most of the state at Moderate Drought status, with Southern Worcester County, Southern Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Northern Bristol County, and Northern Plymouth County rated Abnormally Dry (details at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MA). This is likely to change somewhat for Epi Week 25, given repeated rain events.

NOAA released its summer predictions and is anticipating a warmer than normal summer for New England. We are currently under a weak/moderate El-Nino (warm eastern Pacific waters) that is expected to dramatically lower the frequency of Atlantic hurricane development.

Precipitation in MA for EPI Week 24, 2015