Drought in Franklin, Arkansas

Much of northwest and west central Arkansas experienced below average precipitation for the month of March, with some of the area receiving as little as 25 to 50 percent of monthly average rainfall amounts. Rainfall amounts ranged from one to one and a half inches across portions of Sebastian and Franklin Counties, to as much as five to six and a half inches across portions of Benton and Carroll Counties. These dry conditions, compounding on several months of dry weather, allowed the drought that developed across portions of the region in January to expand further in March. Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across all of Benton, Carroll, Washington, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties. Extreme (D3) drought conditions remained across portions of Benton and Carroll Counties during the month. Monetary damage estimates as a result of the drought were not available.