(WOWK) — For the first time in several months, the WOWK-TV viewing area does not have any county listed in the “Moderate Drought” category as shown on the weekly Drought Monitor, issued by USDA.
You can compare week to week averages on the USDA Drought Monitor site right here:
The region went from no drought categories at all on June 11 to seeing the first “Abnormally Dry” reports on June 18th. The drought reached “Extreme Drought” levels on August 27th. From June 25 to this latest report on December 24, the region has had at least one county in the “Moderate Drought” category. It’s been a long, hard summer that beat up crops and livestock and cost farmers untold sums to salvage crops. Many farmers sold livestock ahead of normal market time frames to avoid extra costs to keep the animals thriving.
Ahead: more rain. In fact, multiple storm systems could bring the area as much as two inches of rain between Friday and next Monday (December 30).