Drought conditions worsen in Alabama: Will recent rainfall improve the situation?
Drought conditions continued to expand in Alabama this week, according to a new report.
The U.S. Drought Monitor issues a report detailing drought conditions across the United States each week. This week’s report was released on Thursday.
However, the information in the report was gathered before Wednesday, which gave parts of the state up to an inch or more of badly-needed rain.
Wednesday’s rain — and a little more expected on Friday — will be reflected in next week’s report, which compiles information from Tuesday until the following Tuesday each week.
This week’s report shows all of Alabama either in some form of drought or on the verge of drought.
The driest spots are in southwest Alabama. Areas in Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Conecuh Monroe and (a small sliver of) Washington counties remain in extreme drought, Level 3 out of 4 drought levels, according to the Drought Monitor.
The report said 6.14 percent of Alabama is in extreme drought, which is unchanged from last week.
A larger area in the state, 29.50 percent, is now in severe drought, or Level 2 out of 4. That’s an increase from 17.78 percent last week. Areas in severe drought include southwest Alabama, parts of central Alabama and northeast Alabama.
Most of Alabama, 78.80 percent, is now considered in moderate drought, Level 1 out of 4. That’s an increase from 73.90 percent last week.
The rest of the state is not officially in drought but is on the verge of it, according to the drought monitor. Those spots are mostly in east-central Alabama.
Many spots in Alabama received at least a little beneficial rain on Wednesday.
Some of Wednesday’s higher totals: Montgomery got 1.76 inches, Mobile got 1.20 inches, Anniston got 0.61 inches and Dothan got a half-inch, according to data from the National Weather Service.
But other areas weren’t as lucky: Tuscaloosa got 0.27 inches, Birmingham got 0.21 inches, Huntsville totaled 0.06 inches, Muscle Shoals got 0.02 inches, Guntersville got a trace and Gadsden and Fort Payne didn’t get any.
Alabama has another chance for at least a little rain on Friday as a cold front moves through the state. However, the weather service isn’t expecting a whole lot of rain with this front.
Cooler and drier weather is expected over the weekend after the front passes through.
The next seven days also look to stay on the dry side. Here is the seven-day precipitation outlook from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center:
The outlook shows most of Alabama will remain dry through next week, with areas in eastern Alabama possibly getting a tenth of an inch or less.
The next Drought Monitor update will be released on Thursday, Oct. 19.