It’s drought-advisory season again, with the Virginia DEQ telling us today that it has expanded its warning advisory area to include 94 counties and 33 cities, which is pretty much the whole state – there are 95 counties and 38 independent cities in Virginia.
The other county and the other five independent cities are under drought watch advisories.
See the current drought status on the DEQ website.
That’s everybody; we need some damn rain, is the message.
Assessment
Despite recent precipitation reaching a half-inch across a wide swath of the Commonwealth, moderate and severe dryness persists statewide, with soil moisture levels statewide much below normal.
Streamflow levels have shown local increases in response to recent rainfall, but approximately a quarter of stream gages in the state are recording provisional record daily low stream flows; average values for the past 30 days show all major watersheds experiencing much below normal streamflow.
Groundwater levels continue to decline and are expected to continue declining as summer begins and increased evapotranspiration, and higher water withdrawals impact well levels. Reservoir levels across the Commonwealth are all within normal ranges, except for Smith Mountain Lake, where water levels are at warning status.
Agricultural producers are reporting dry conditions throughout the state and delayed spring crop planting.
Pasture conditions are reportedly poor in multiple areas throughout the state, and hay yields are expected to be negatively impacted.
Forecast
The seven-day forecast calls for below normal precipitation for most of the Commonwealth. Rainfall totals up to a quarter-inch are expected, with some northern and southwestern areas of the state forecasted to receive up to a half-inch of rain.
The 14-day outlook calls for above-normal temperatures throughout the state.
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Chris Graham
