Weather

Newsweek -   Nearly two-thirds of the United States is now in drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor data, with dry conditions stretching across all but two states and affecting more than 150 million people nationwide. A growing drought spanning much of the country raises concerns about water supplies, agriculture, and wildfire risk for millions of Americans. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, released on Thursday, showed that almost 62 percent of the U.S. is experiencing some level of drought.

Newsweek -  Unusually cool temperatures will be felt across the southern U.S. later this week, with National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts indicating that East Texas could break a 123-year record with the chilly weather.  The plunging temperatures follow several days of severe weather that raged across Texas and surrounding states, creating numerous tornadoes and other hazards such as large hail and severe thunderstorms. With the incoming cold spell, some parts of the South will drop as much as 30 degrees below average for this time of year, AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.