Almost entire area 'abnormally dry,' drought persists for some

No sign of significant relief in current rain deficit

ROANOKE, Va. – It's never a good sign when you hear the ground crunching beneath your feet, which is what some of you have told us lately. So, it comes as no surprise that most of the area is being classified as 'abnormally dry.' Parts of Pittsylvania, Franklin, Floyd and Montgomery Counties are in a 'moderate drought.'

What does a 'moderate drought' mean? According to the Drought Monitor, it means that fire danger increases. In some cases, voluntary water restrictions may be put in place. For farmers, it's time to be extra cautious of wildlife coming after your crop. 

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While the weather will be nice for weekend plans, there's no relief in our rain deficit/drought. The jet stream being located farther north will keep any and all widespread rain away from us. 

The Climate Prediction Center has taken note of this trend through the next 10 days, saying that much of the eastern U.S. will be drier than average through the rest of September. 


About the Author:

Meteorologist Chris Michaels is an American Meteorological Society (AMS) Certified Broadcaster, forecasting weather conditions in southwest Virginia on WSLS 10 News from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays on Virginia Today.