By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The hot and dry August weather in Kentucky has led to most of the state experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions, with some moderate drought, according to the weekly U.S Drought Monitor report that was released on Thursday.
On August 5, Kentucky saw less than five percent designated “Abnormally Dry,” or D0 on the scale that goes up to D4, which denotes extreme drought, while the rest of the state was labeled “No Drought.” On the latest report, 75.81 percent is now considered abnormally dry.
Moderate drought conditions (D1) did not appear in the weekly report until last Thursday, August 21, when 6.21 percent of the state reached that stage. In the current report that has risen to 11.18 percent. That is primarily found in South Central and Southwest Kentucky, although there is also a smaller area in the Northeast. The U.S. Drought Monitor says the estimated population in the D1 areas of Kentucky is 257,757.
In the Midwest, which is where the Drought Monitor places Kentucky, Brad Rippy with the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said, “By August 24, the USDA rated statewide topsoil moisture at least one-half very short to short in Kentucky (66 percent), Michigan (55 percent), and Ohio (51 percent). Statewide values were above 40 percent very short to short in Illinois and Indiana. Despite a turn toward cooler weather, coverage of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) broadly increased from Missouri into the Ohio Valley and lower Great Lakes region.”
Looking ahead, there is a little good news, as the National Weather Service 6-10 day outlook, issued on Wednesday and covering the period September 2-6, calls for temperatures in Kentucky to remain below normal, especially in the West, with a slightly above normal chance of precipitation statewide, standing at 33-40 percent.
The U.S. Drought Monitor is produced through a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Reports released each Thursday cover the previous seven days through Tuesday morning.