West Virginia Drought Status

Little Change in Conditions Again This Week
Exceptional and extreme drought held tight in West Virginia this week, continuing to cover 38% of the state. This is the 14th consecutive week with extreme (D3) or worse drought conditions in the state, its longest such stretch since the U.S. Drought Monitor began in 2000. The previous longest stretch was nine weeks in 2002. Severe drought also persisted this week, with only minor improvements in moderate drought in the Eastern Panhandle and a sliver of southwestern West Virginia. Overall, 88% of the state was in drought, with another 11% being abnormally dry. Beckley, Charleston, and Huntington have been drier than normal so far this month, with the October 1-15 period ranking among the 20 driest such periods for all three sites. Rainfall deficits for the past 90-day period (July 18 – October 15) range from 0.08 inches below normal in Beckley to 4.93 inches below normal in Charleston.

Topsoil moisture declined this week, with USDA data showing 77% of West Virginia having topsoil moisture in the very short-short categories for the week ending October 13. That’s compared to last week’s 67% of the state with very short-short soil moisture. The condition of apples, corn, hay, pastures, and soybeans in the state also declined compared to last week, with all remaining in the very poor, poor, and fair categories, and none of these crops in the good or excellent categories – similar to the past few weeks. Pasture and rangeland conditions worsened slightly, being in the poor or very poor categories for 93% of West Virginia compared to last week’s 90%. The state’s legislature passed a bill providing $10 million in drought relief funds to help farmers. Streamflow and groundwater levels were below normal or lower in several locations.

With high pressure likely parked near or over the Northeast during the next week, there is little chance for precipitation. This is expected to be combined with above-normal temperatures and is reflected in the 6-10-day outlook (October 22-26) from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. This pattern would favor persistence, or possibly intensification, of drought conditions. However, for the 8-14-day period (October 24-30), near- or above-normal precipitation, along with above-normal temperatures, are favored. Looking ahead to winter, La Niña conditions are expected to emerge, which tends to increase storminess and lead to above-normal precipitation for the Ohio Valley, possibly helping ease drought conditions. The NRCC’s full weekly drought update can be found here and drought impacts can be reported here and viewed here.

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