The record
Everything the slot carries, as measured. Series arrays are drawn above and listed here in full.
| event_type | Drought |
|---|---|
| ncei_event_id | 5,715,231 |
| episode_id | 2,412,173 |
| begin_utc | 1999-07-01T05:00:00+00:00 |
| end_utc | 1999-08-01T04:59:00+00:00 |
| state | NEW JERSEY |
| cz_type | Z |
| cz_name | WESTERN OCEAN |
| deaths_direct | 0 |
| deaths_indirect | 0 |
| injuries_direct | 0 |
| injuries_indirect | 0 |
| wfo_source | AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC |
| episode_narrative | The drought intensified throughout July across New Jersey. For the fourth consecutive month, below normal precipitation continued. On a county weighted average for July, between 0.5 inches (in Somerset and Morris Counties) and 2.3 inches (in Cumberland County) fell. Aside from Cumberland County, every other county in the state had less than 2 inches of rain and every county from Mercer and Middlesex Counties northward had only one inch or less of rain. It was one of the ten driest Julys on record in Atlantic City. On a statewide average it was the seventh driest July on record. The July monthly normal rainfall is between 4 and 5 inches. The effects of the drought increased as the month wore on. The unseasonably hot July did not help. On July 9th the New Jersey Forest Fire Service declared a very high fire warning for northern New Jersey. Open burning on the ground and in campfires were prohibited. Only fires permitted were ones off the ground within an enclosure. All agricultural open burning has been suspended. Through the 13th there were 44 forest fires in the state. On the 21st the burning restrictions were made tighter. Only propane fires were permitted in the northern part of the state and only elevated fires in the central and southern part of the state. On the 27th all outdoor burning was banned throughout the state as the fire danger was described as extreme. On July 19th Governor Christie Whitman declared a water shortage alert and called for residents to voluntarily conserve water by not watering lawns or washing cars. Municipalities which depend on groundwater and smaller reservoirs went even further. The same day Monmouth County declared a drought emergency and implemented odd/even non-essential watering restrictions. Many shallow wells in the northwest part of the state were running dry. By the end of the month about 35 north central and northwest New Jersey townships asked residents to cut back on water usage. Rivers and streams in the state were flowing at near record lows and only about 25 percent of normal flow. Along the Delaware River, the unusually low flow pushed the salt front farther north than normal. In an effort to maintain a flow on the river of 3,000 cubic feet per second at Trenton and to slow the northward progression of the salt front, the Delaware River Basin Commission increased releases from the upstate New York reservoirs and Beltzville and Blue Marsh Lakes in Pennsylvania. On the 26th of July, the salt front was 12 miles farther north than normal. Beside the corrosion problems, the brackish water forces expensive purification efforts for drinking water. By the end of the month, with no significant rainfall in site and to save precious water, the Delaware River Commission reduced its target flow at Trenton from 3,000 to 2,700 cubic feet per second. This forced industries below (south) of the Philadelphia International Airport that use river water for processing to turn to alternative water sources to avoid corrosion. The drought coincided with the growing season. The April 1st through July 31st four month period was the driest on record over the past 105 years in the state of New Jersey. Farmers in New Jersey were feeling a double pinch. Irrigation, if possible, was driving up the costs of farming. Meanwhile, ideal growing conditions elsewhere in the country kept crop prices low. Irrigation was occurring everywhere if possible. Irrigation ponds were drying out and well permits were being issued. Irrigated corn fields were in fair condition, most corn was in poor condition. Low yields and nutrient content are expected with many fields already lost. Livestock feed crops were at a near-total loss and many farmers will have to borrow money to buy food for their cattle into 2000. Soybean crops (normally not irrigated) were in fair to poor condition. The second hay cutting (if there was one) was poor at best. No third cutting of alfalfa is expected. Pasture conditions were in poor condition. Supplemental feeding, some that is normally saved for the winter, was occurring. The hot weather also cut back milk production by about 20 percent. Sun damage was reported to pepper and tomato crops. Significant damage to the pumpkin crop is expected. Nurseries and landscapers were also hurt by the drought. People were not buying new trees and shrubs. The lack of rain increased watering costs to the nurseries and the dormant grass led to less lawn cuttings. |
| year | 1,999 |
Provenance
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Storage: spine