COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The recent warmer and drier weather has begun to take its toll across a good portion of Michigan including parts Branch County.
The National Drought Mitigation Center, based at the University of Nebraska, releases their U.S. Drought Monitor each week and they now list Southern Branch County as being under moderate drought conditions and the Northern half is listed as abnormally dry.
In August Branch County was more than four inches below average rainfall for the month and so far September hasn’t been any better with the county on pace to be 3 inches or more below normal precipitation.
Under moderate drought conditions, most crops and vegetation become stressed as well as farmed Christmas, lawns are brown, landscape and gardens need more frequent watering and well levels decline.
The lack of rain is also affecting water levels at several Branch County lakes as they are now well below normal.
Although it won’t be enough to alleviate the drought conditions there is rain in the forecast for the 2nd part of the weekend into the first part of next week.
Comments