KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It's been another week without rainfall in East Tennessee and with that, the drought continues to expand.
We've been expecting this as the dry weather continues.
100% of Tennessee is now covered in abnormally dry conditions.
Last week's drought monitor showed that 98% of Tennessee was covered in abnormally dry conditions and 60% is covered in moderate drought conditions. In the map below, you can see the areas in bright yellow that are listed as being abnormally dry.
Abnormally dry conditions can cause lower honey production, and lake and pond levels dropping.
Well, this week those numbers jumped. 100% of Tennessee is covered in abnormally dry conditions and now 67% is in a moderate drought. Severe drought conditions are expanding as well. Last week, nearly 2% of the state was under severe drought, but now nearly 16% of the state is.
Moderate drought conditions can cause lower mosquito numbers, leaves falling early, increased fire danger and water demand is high. A number of areas have restricted burning because of the dry conditions.
Hamblen, Greene, Cocke, Roane, Cumberland, Rhea, Meigs and southern McMinn counties are all under severe drought conditions to date. Southern Kentucky and the northern parts of Scott, Campbell and Claiborne counties are also in severe drought conditions.
Severe drought conditions mean corn is severely stressed, producers are importing hay and selling livestock, air quality is poor, burn bans are implemented, active wildfires are reported, aquatic species die off streams and creeks are extremely low or dry, well levels are lowering, voluntary water conservation is requested and water quality is poor.
The next drought monitor will be released on Oct. 3, 2019.