Drought in Montgomery, Virginia

Severe Drought conditions were declared for nearly all of Montgomery County on November 21st. This is given precipitation from the beginning of October through mid-November was 20 to 30 percent of normal. NASA SPoRT LIS data estimated that average soil moisture in the top 100 cm of soil was between the 2nd and the 10th percentiles by the middle of the month, and deteriorating. Stream flow for South Fork Roanoke River at Shawsville was around the 10th percentile by the middle of the month. There were no reported impacts to agriculture and livestock given the late time of the year. Due to the dryness, a burn ban was issued for the county on November 6th that persisted through the end of the month.

A portion of central Virginia received between 25 and 40 percent of the normal rainfall from the beginning of October through much of November, resulting in an expansion of Severe Drought conditions into this area. The lack of rainfall contributed to a gradual decrease in river and creek stream flows, groundwater and soil moisture across the northwest portion of the state. Impacts on remaining crop harvest were minimal given the growing season had ended with the onset of cooler weather. However, one notable impact was a lack of growth of pasture grasses, forcing ranchers to begin feeding hay to livestock more so and/or earlier than they normally might. The threat of Wildland fire activity was increased during the month given the combination of dry fuels and the seasonal loss of leaf cover/canopy which allowed surface fuels to dry out more readily.