Drought — Roane, West Virginia

2024-08-01 to 2024-08-31 · Roane, West Virginia

Wider weather episode

After a quiet end to the month of July, exceptionally dry weather prevailed through the majority of August and attributed to a historical drought across West Virginia. The month began with severe drought (D2) conditions laid across the north-central parts of the state and gradually grew worse through the course of the month. Under strong high pressure and daily afternoon temperatures stretching into the triple digit marks, soil conditions continued to dry out. By the middle of August, many locations in the Kanawha Valley and up the I-77/I-79 corridors were expanded to an extreme drought (D3) state. For the first time in history since the establishment of the Drought Monitor, a D4 exceptional drought category was introduced in parts of Mason, Jackson, Wood, Wirt, Roane, and Putnam Counties.

Declining levels in irritation wells/ponds in August led to hauling of water for livestock across the lowlands of West Virginia. Other impacts from this drought also included a crop yield loss reported across much of western and central West Virginia as well as nearby hay shortages. Given the drying vegetation and above normal temperatures, brush fire activity also increased by the end of the second half of the month. Several reservoir lake levels were also below their summer pools in the state.

Exceptionally dry conditions stretched into September.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1207919. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.