BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – The latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor that was released on Thursday morning shows the expansion of moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions across much of the area.
All of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula from south of Traverse City is now considered to be abnormally dry while the far southern part of Hillsdale County and portions of Lenawee and Monroe Counties are now considered to be in a moderate drought.
Moderate drought conditions are also reported north of Grand Rapids.
The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska reports the Great Lakes states has seen mostly or completely dry weather this week, which led to mounting short-term precipitation deficits and worsening stream flows and soil moisture values.
Unusually warm temperatures, reaching or exceeding nine degrees above normal in large portions of Michigan also contributed to worsening dryness.
In the last month, the M.S.U. Extension Service weather station at the Bloom Dairy Farm has only measured rain on one day. Just over two-tenths of an inch of rain was measured on May 19. While rain fell at some locations last Saturday, nothing was measured at the weather station.
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