Hazards of Drought Becoming More Apparent Out East

The drought is worsening across much of the eastern U.S. as rain is hard to come by lately. Is there relief on the horizon? Read on for all of the details.

Deepening Drought Causing Issues for Much of Central and Eastern U.S.

A coastal storm that fired up off the coast of the Carolinas early in the week brought some rainfall to a narrow strip of the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic. However, much of the eastern third of the country has remained high and dry this week, extending the dry streak across the parched region.

The drought is putting stress on trees, accelerating the normal changing of the leaves, and bringing water levels down across area rivers and lakes. Unfortunately, the chances of widespread rain for the East are not high through the weekend.

A southward dip in the jet stream has worked to keep the weather mostly dry over the eastern third of the nation. This pattern is forecast to persist over the next few days. The extended dry period is contributing to the growing drought that has been an issue since early August. According to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, there are several areas of moderate to severe drought in the East.

The summer did not start on a dry note. In fact, humidity levels and precipitation totals were high throughout June and into July. Many residents of the eastern U.S. will not soon forget the persistent rain and flash flooding events that marked the start of the summer season.

While it is normal for thunderstorm activity to dwindle by the end of the summer and fall season, this dry period is atypical in its longevity. A lack of tropical moisture filtering up from the Gulf is largely to blame for the dry period as of late. This same weather pattern is also responsible for the calm conditions throughout the Atlantic basin, putting a lid on tropical activity during what is typically the busiest time of the year in this basin.