Drought in Braxton, West Virginia

The month of April began with abnormally dry conditions (D0) in the southern part of West Virginia as well as a portion of the northeast mountains. D0 expanded across much of the area by the second week of the month, while portions of the northeast mountains and southern WV degraded to moderate drought (D1). Further degradation occurred for the third week of the month, with D1 spreading into all but Wood and Pleasants Counties, and severe drought (D2) developing in McDowell, Raleigh, Wyoming, eastern Boone, southern Fayette, southeast Kanawha, eastern Logan, eastern Mingo, eastern Webster, and much of Pocahontas and Randolph counties. By the last week of the month, D2 expanded to encompass more of eastern WV, including Fayette, McDowell, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Wyoming, southeast Braxton, eastern Logan, eastern Mingo, southern Upshur, and much of Boone, Clay, Kanawha, Randolph, and Webster counties. Meanwhile, only minor expansions of D1 and D0 occurred in the northwest part of the state.

A half inch to an inch of rain fell across much of the area during the first week of April, though there were some pockets of up to an inch. Little to no rain accumulated in the second week. Rain totals for the third week ranged from an inch or less in the mountains and north-central WV to half an inch or less in west and southwest WV. The last week once again had rainfall accumulations between half and one and a half inches with pockets around two inches. Nevertheless, rounds of precipitation did not achieve high enough amounts or long enough duration to impede the ongoing drought.

All six climate sites in West Virginia registered below normal precipitation for the month. Beckley was nearly two tenths of an inch below normal, Charleston and Clarksburg were between six and seven tenths of an inch below normal, and Huntington, Parkersburg, and Elkins ranged from one and a quarter to around one and an eighth inches below normal. Despite the overall dryness, enough rain fell on the 29th of the month to break the existing daily precipitation record at Charleston.

Impacts from the drought included hauling water for livestock, supplemental feeding for livestock due to slow pasture growth, and slow crop growth.