Some constructive drought information has truly arrived for as soon as this summer time, because the widespread rainfall earlier this week helped enhance the depraved dry situations throughout Massachusetts.
The deluge of rain considerably decreased the acute drought area within the jap a part of the Bay State. Less than 9% of the state is now dealing with an excessive drought, down from greater than 38% final week, in line with the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Most of Massachusetts stays in a extreme drought, nonetheless. The extreme drought area was lower from 94% of the state to 86%.
The remaining 14% of the state is in a average drought.
“We had some improvement in the last week,” mentioned Torry Gaucher, meteorologist on the National Weather Service’s Boston workplace, pointing to the particularly heavy rainfall in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“We knew all that rain would definitely make some type of dent,” he added.
But the town of Boston — and all of Suffolk County — is a part of the 9% of Massachusetts that continues to be in an excessive drought.
Since the beginning of the yr, Boston has recorded solely 18.9 inches of precipitation, which is about 9.88 inches beneath regular for this time of the yr.
At this time final yr, the town had recorded 40.24 inches of precipitation, nicely above regular for this time of the yr.
“We had dealt with tropical systems last year, which brought heavy rains that were more widespread than earlier this week,” Gaucher mentioned.
Could a tropical system ship some much-needed rain to the area quickly? Hurricane Earl is gaining steam out within the Atlantic Ocean, however the storm is anticipated to remain nicely offshore. The hurricane, nonetheless, ought to kick up surf alongside the Cape and Islands.
“Strong rip currents and high surf are to be expected Friday through this weekend,” Gaucher mentioned. “And beaches don’t staff up after Labor Day weekend, so this is something people should definitely be aware of at ocean-facing beaches.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”