BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – Thursday’s weekly report from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows Severe Drought conditions have expanded across Michigan’s lower peninsula and now blankets most of West Michigan.
The extreme northwest corner of Branch County is now considered to be in a severe drought. The rest of the county remains in a what is considered to be a moderate drought.
All of Allegan, Barry, Kalamazoo, Kent, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties are now experiencing a severe drought as well as portions of Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph counties.
The Severe Drought also extends north and east into the Lansing, Flint, Saginaw, and Thumb regions.
Most of the Lower Peninsula is now in a Moderate Drought.
Another 0.05 of rain was measured by the M.S.U. Extension Service weather station at the Bloom Dairy Farm on Thursday. That brings the total amount of rain at that location up to .99 of an inch for June and 2.11 inches since May 25. Obviously, rainfall amounts around the area vary with these hit and miss showers.
While there was a downpour in Coldwater Thursday afternoon, no rain was reported in other parts of Branch County.
According to the National Weather Service, the last time Michigan had drought conditions this widespread was in 2007, mostly in the Upper Peninsula.
The last time the Lower Peninsula had a severe drought at this level was in 2003.
Officials say farmers will be feeling the effects of this as crop yields are expected to decrease while irrigation costs will increase.
(Brandon James contributed to this report)
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