Pittsburgh Weather: Pittsburgh, northern areas officially under a 'moderate' drought
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - NOAA's US Drought Monitor has released their weekly drought maps today and Pittsburgh, along with places to the north including all communities along I-80 are now officially under a moderate drought.
Moderate drought conditions mean farmers are depending more on irrigation to help to keep plants growing. Hay production is also slowed meaning higher costs will be possible for livestock. Trees and fish become stressed and bee honey production slows. Wildfire risk increases and water conservation is encouraged.
One hundred percent of the state is now dealing with some sort of drought condition from being abnormally dry to being under a moderate drought.
This is the first time this year that this has occurred.
Last week only just over five percent of the state was under moderate drought conditions. This week the number is sixty-five percent.
One year ago less than a quarter of one percent of the state was under any type of drought conditions.
The next drought map comes out next Thursday morning, but the data for the map ends on Tuesday.
We have a couple of chances for some rain at this point over the next week including scattered rain chances today and Friday and another chance for rain on Monday into Tuesday.