Severe drought conditions reported

Alleghany County and much of the state of North Carolina are currently in a severe drought.

Portions of the far western part of the state are in an extreme drought, the second-worst form of drought on the drought scale, and Alleghany County is heading in that direction, said a spokesman for the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. Drought is ranked in five different levels, abnormally dry, moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought.

Much of the entire southeastern United States is locked into a hot, dry weather pattern. Higher than normal temperatures last week and highs continuing in the upper 80s and low 90s have added to problem and little relief is in sight, according to forecast information.

Jeff Stewart, NWS meteorologist, said, "What we've had for the past couple weeks is a large ridge of high pressure across the southeastern part of the U.S. and that has steered the storm track across Ohio and into the New England area."

Heat and dry weather have been building underneath that ridge, contributing to the drought conditions.

Stewart said a storm system, which included influences from Tropical Storm Erin, was tracking across Kentucky on Tuesday. "That helped bring us some thunderstorm and rain activity," said Stewart Tuesday.

 

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