BLOG: Drought continues....

Dryness and drought, made worse by above-normal temperatures, have been increasing in intensity and coverage across much of the northern and Central U.S. based upon the July 10 U.S. Drought Monitor.

During the past 2 weeks, light rainfall (1-2 inches) in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, combined with triple-digit heat in the latter region, have caused Abnormally Dry Conditions and Moderate Drought ( D0 and D1) in both areas. The Delmarva Peninsula remained in Severe Drought ( D2) as significant precipitation continued to miss this area.

The short and medium-term models predict some moderate to heavy rain amounts in the mid-Atlantic and lower temperatures but there are no clear indications in the August precipitation outlooks that it will be wet or dry, meaning there are equal chances for either one.

Since most of the D0 and D1 have recently developed in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, a brief period of wet weather could alleviate the accumulated deficiencies (2 to 4 inches at 30 and 60 days). Therefore, the drought outlook through October shows the drought continuing but with some improvement.