Drought Conditions Persist Across State

Despite the recent soggy weather, most of West Virginia remains under drought conditions.  

According to the federal U.S. Drought Monitor, 12.1% of the state is abnormally dry, with 32.9% of West Virginia being categorized as under moderate drought conditions and 43.6% under severe drought conditions.   

The report is updated each Thursday by a group of federal offices including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Drought Mitigation Center.   

The four inches of rain West Virginia has received in May make it the wettest month of the year so far.  

But Joe Curtis, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, says it’s not enough.  

“That’s something that we’re going to have to look at, but it is going to help,” he said. “But unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be enough to completely erase it.”  

Rainfall over the past week has improved conditions in much of the state, with the north central region, the Eastern Panhandle and the southeastern corner improving one drought category. The Ohio River Valley including the Northern Panhandle is the only region of the state to not be under any dryness category. 

From January to April, West Virginia has experienced its 10th driest start to the year since official records began in 1895.