South Africa stands out in the November Outlook with a forecast of exceptionally hotter than normal temperatures. Much of Asia, Indonesia, and the southern and eastern US are expected to be warmer than normal. Much drier than normal conditions are expected in a path following the Andes from Colombia through Brazil, while wetter than normal conditions are forecast for the US Northern Plains states and pockets of central Africa.
Middle East: Widespread intense deficits persist on the Arabian Peninsula
Widespread intense water deficits are forecast for the Arabian Peninsula through September, gradually diminishing in extent and severity thereafter. From July through September exceptional deficits will persist across central Saudi Arabia, in southern Iraq, and in Lebanon, and severe to extreme deficits are forecast for Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Iraq west of the Euphrates, and North Khorasan, Iran. Surpluses in Fars and near Tehran, Iran will transition to conditions of both deficit and surplus, receding by early next year. Surpluses along the northern Iran/Iraq border will persist through December, and a pocket of exceptional surplus in central Oman will persist through March 2018.