The record
Everything the slot carries, as measured. Series arrays are drawn above and listed here in full.
| event_type | Drought |
|---|---|
| ncei_event_id | 5,718,786 |
| episode_id | 2,412,523 |
| begin_utc | 1999-08-01T05:00:00+00:00 |
| end_utc | 1999-09-01T04:59:00+00:00 |
| state | WEST VIRGINIA |
| cz_type | Z |
| cz_name | HAMPSHIRE |
| deaths_direct | 0 |
| deaths_indirect | 0 |
| injuries_direct | 0 |
| injuries_indirect | 0 |
| wfo_source | NEWSPAPER |
| episode_narrative | High pressure was the dominant weather feature across the Eastern Panhandle through the 24th of August. Most rain producing storm systems steered north of the region through the period. This resulted in the continuation of the climatological, meteorological, and hydrological drought which has plagued the area since last summer. By mid-August the Palmer Drought Index, a measure of long term drought conditions, indicated the Eastern Panhandle was in an extreme drought. More than half of the month's rain fell on the 25th and 26th, helping to ease the drought slightly. However, because most of the rain fell in the form of thunderstorm downpours, most of the moisture ran off into the rivers before it had the chance to seep into the aquifer supply. Groundwater reserves remained unaffected and wells and springs remained short of water. From September 1998 through August of 1999 precipitation was a staggering 10 to 16 inches below normal. Rainfall totals across the Eastern Panhandle during the month of August included 3.9 inches in Pendleton County, 3.7 inches in Jefferson County, 2.8 inches in Hardy County, 2.7 inches in Mineral County, 2.6 inches in Grant County, and 2.1 inches in Morgan and Hampshire Counties. Area rivers and streams continued to show drought stress, most running at 10 to 30% of the normal level. Several points recorded new record daily minimum flows during August. The flow of water on the South Branch of the Potomac River past Springfield during the middle of August was only 12% of the long term monthly average. Water was released from the Jennings Randolph Reservoir on the 11th to boost the Potomac's water level, leaving the reservoir at 78% of capacity. On the Shenandoah River, the flow of water past Millville was only 15% of normal through mid-month.The lack of precipitation through the third week of the month continued to devastate the agricultural community. The entire state of West Virginia was declared a disaster area during the first week of the month. Several crops such as corn and soybeans never reached maturity, trees prematurely shed leaves and fruit in orchards, pasture land became nearly non-existent, and watering holes and irrigation sources dried up. Hay had to be trucked in from other parts of the country to suppliment loss of pasture for livestock. Hardy County farmers had to sell one third of their cow herd because of low feed and water supplies. Across the state, 32% of farmers had to haul water for livestock and 26% of wells dried up or were in danger of drying up. The West Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service reported 80% of pasture land, 69% of corn, 57% of soybeans, 45% of tobacco, 39% of apples, 41% of peaches, and 75% of hay crops in poor or very poor condition. 86% of topsoil was reported short or very short of moisture across the state by the last week of the month. Jefferson County expected to lose 90% of corn crops to the drought. Berkeley and Morgan Counties expected a 50% loss of soybean crops. Mineral County estimated drought production losses of $7 million. In addition to agricultural lands., forest and rural vegetation were also dangerously dry. The Cumulative Severity Index (CSI), a measure of fire danger which ranges from 1 to 800, measured in the low to mid 500s during the month. |
| year | 1,999 |
Provenance
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Storage: spine