Drought

[stormy]

A portion of east-central Virginia was upgraded to moderate drought this morning!

[csnavywx]

Yep. Running at just 1.02" for March and got 0.90" for Feb. Jan was 60% of normal and Dec was half of normal. I think we're at 4.5" for the last 4 months. Climo-wise, it's the driest time of year anyways, but even with that fact, still unusual to see. Temps also 5-9F above normal. Doesn't necessarily bode that well for summer. At least an oncoming Nino should end it in fall/winter if summer ends up being bad.

[stormy]

3 hours ago, csnavywx said:

Yep. Running at just 1.02" for March and got 0.90" for Feb. Jan was 60% of normal and Dec was half of normal. I think we're at 4.5" for the last 4 months. Climo-wise, it's the driest time of year anyways, but even with that fact, still unusual to see. Temps also 5-9F above normal. Doesn't necessarily bode that well for summer. At least an oncoming Nino should end it in fall/winter if summer ends up being bad.

I have been amused with some on this forum who are obviously ignorant of this present reality. If this does not change, the coming summer will be parched toast.  Is no one concerned when so many seem to be concerned about "why it doesn't snow anymore".....  This is a farcical joke!! The enso shift will probably intervene.  I have observed a 6 month lag in enso shift to reality.

This 6 month lag encourages an increase in rainfall by late summer and a better winter next year for the snow-lovers.

[stormy]

A slight over-performer last 24 hrs.   4 model blend was .21", received .37".

[stormy]

So close and yet so far away..................... Deficits are worsening.

[stormy]

Charlottesville slipped into Moderate Drought with the update this morning:

 

[MN Transplant]

DCA’s Jan-Mar precip totals are the lowest since 2009(!), and 6th lowest in 150 years. 

In the last century, the lowest Jan-Apr total is 6.99” in 1977.  We are sitting at 5.61” with a dry forecast going forward.

 

[Weather Will]

WB 6Z GEFS, next 10 days still dry…

[North Balti Zen]

 

[mattie g]

OH NOES!

[George BM]

Don't roll your eyes at me TOO hard mattie g. Preserve your sight. 

[mattie g]

What I find interesting is that when things are dry, there's this big concern about "drought," but when it's been wet there's basically no discussion about it. I guess that's because there's no term for anti-drought except when there are flooding concerns.

[CAPE]

3 minutes ago, mattie g said:

What I find interesting is that when things are dry, there's this big concern about "drought," but when it's been wet there's basically no discussion about it. I guess that's because there's no term for anti-drought except when there are flooding concerns.

Most of the concern is because peeps don't want to have to water plants/lawns lol.

I am good with abnormally dry in the early Spring. Wetland never really got wet this year- just some spotty, very shallow areas so it was an easy(and cheaper) job to larvicide. With the early heat and leaf out, that area will be completely dry in no time.

[North Balti Zen]

I didn't post it because it was a concern, but because it was a note and there is a thread for dry. I guess I won't do that anymore. My bad. 

[MN Transplant]

1 hour ago, mattie g said:

What I find interesting is that when things are dry, there's this big concern about "drought," but when it's been wet there's basically no discussion about it. I guess that's because there's no term for anti-drought except when there are flooding concerns.

It is a 100% IMBY game.  I conceptually hate using water for lawns/gardens.  It is so energy intensive to provide clean drinking water and I’m just going to dump hundreds of gallons on the ground because it won’t rain?  Awful.

1 hour ago, CAPE said:

Most of the concern is because peeps don't want to have to water plants/lawns lol.

I am good with abnormally dry in the early Spring. Wetland never really got wet this year- just some spotty, very shallow areas so it was an easy(and cheaper) job to larvicide. With the early heat and leaf out, that area will be completely dry in no time.

[MN Transplant]

 

 

[mattie g]

3 hours ago, MN Transplant said:

It is a 100% IMBY game.  I conceptually hate using water for lawns/gardens.  It is so energy intensive to provide clean drinking water and I’m just going to dump hundreds of gallons on the ground because it won’t rain?  Awful.

I'm not really interested in watering my lawn. Garden? For sure.

5 minutes ago, MN Transplant said:

 

Do we have a "rainy season"?

 

[H2O]

5 hours ago, mattie g said:

What I find interesting is that when things are dry, there's this big concern about "drought," but when it's been wet there's basically no discussion about it. I guess that's because there's no term for anti-drought except when there are flooding concerns.

Well speaking from what my former profession was, when abnormally dry conditions hit in the winter and spring there is a growing concern because that is when municipalities stockpile water.  The reason they want natural help is because aquifers stay good and reservoirs are good to go for summer.  When spring and summer hit thats when demands jump and thats typically our dry seasons(late summer).  And if groundwater levels fall too much then what happens is when waters are released from reservoirs the ground along they way soaks it up before it gets to where it needs to be.  So early dry isn't great from a long term perspective.  

 

So yeah, i don't like drought conditions to come about mainly because it take a long, long, long, long time of surplus rains to get things back to square.  Heavy dumping rains don't do that well.  Constant steady rains over a prolonged period do.  

[TowsonTownT]

Drier conditions correlates to less mosquitoes, so there's that.

[H2O]

3 hours ago, MN Transplant said:

It is a 100% IMBY game.  I conceptually hate using water for lawns/gardens.  It is so energy intensive to provide clean drinking water and I’m just going to dump hundreds of gallons on the ground because it won’t rain?  Awful.

This here.  I can 100% tell y'all that when spring and summer hit the main drain on the systems are lawn watering that runs for hours.  Most water tanks basically get dragged down starting at 5am.  Water utilities basically spend all day keeping pace with demand and never refilling those tanks until 11pm when people start to go to bed.  

 

The entire night is spent refilling tanks for the start of the next day's demands.  I hate sprinkler systems

 

I'm sure there will be plans to expand treatment plants again soon due to ever increasing demands.  The fact that it costs what it does for water is amazing.  And remember its NEVER water that costs as much on your bill.  75% of a water bill can be from the sewage charge which is based on water consumption which is another reason not to water lawns.  

[MN Transplant]

16 minutes ago, mattie g said:

I'm not really interested in watering my lawn. Garden? For sure.

 

I never have to water my front yard, but for whatever reason my backyard fescue is really susceptible to dry periods.  I tried avoiding watering and not really treating it last fall (new puppy), and it looks absolutely terrible right now.  Worst spring in the last 10 years.  

[H2O]

^these posts brought to you by your lone water lobby person called: me

[MN Transplant]

Just now, H2O said:

This here.  I can 100% tell y'all that when spring and summer hit the main drain on the systems are lawn watering that runs for hours.  Most water tanks basically get dragged down starting at 5am.  Water utilities basically spend all day keeping pace with demand and never refilling those tanks until 11pm when people start to go to bed.  

 

The entire night is spent refilling tanks for the start of the next day's demands.  I hate sprinkler systems

 

I'm sure there will be plans to expand treatment plants again soon due to ever increasing demands.  The fact that it costs what it does for water is amazing.  And remember its NEVER water that costs as much on your bill.  75% of a water bill can be from the sewage charge which is based on water consumption which is another reason not to water lawns.  

Yes!  You are paying for the sewage charge no matter if your water is going there or not.  

[H2O]

1 minute ago, MN Transplant said:

Yes!  You are paying for the sewage charge no matter if your water is going there or not.  

I absolutely HATED that part of the water bills.  You have no idea how many times I had to explain that to customers.  That and how they thought tax dollars went to pay for us.  Nope.  You flushy, you pay.  You brushy teethy, you pay.  You need to have greenest grassy, you pay.  We are like the cable bill.  But not as assholish.  

 

[Its a Breeze]

6 hours ago, mattie g said:

What I find interesting is that when things are dry, there's this big concern about "drought," but when it's been wet there's basically no discussion about it.

?

Maybe I'm misreading. Are you saying that when it's not dry and things are normal, people aren't concerned with drought? Um...yeah? Why would they be? What am I missing?

Like, if the sun isn't exploding, people aren't going to talk about the sun exploding. But if it is exploding, then they'll talk about it. Seems like common sense *shrugs*

 

Also, to the common man, I don't see anyone making a big deal out of this. Interesting, sure, but I have not seen one complaint about sunny and dry

 

 

[GATECH]

4 hours ago, H2O said:

I absolutely HATED that part of the water bills.  You have no idea how many times I had to explain that to customers.  That and how they thought tax dollars went to pay for us.  Nope.  You flushy, you pay.  You brushy teethy, you pay.  You need to have greenest grassy, you pay.  We are like the cable bill.  But not as assholish.  

 

…and water is way more reliable than cable!   

[mattie g]

16 hours ago, MN Transplant said:

I never have to water my front yard, but for whatever reason my backyard fescue is really susceptible to dry periods.  I tried avoiding watering and not really treating it last fall (new puppy), and it looks absolutely terrible right now.  Worst spring in the last 10 years.  

I have places on my front and back that do better or worse, but I think it's related to sun exposure. Probably a bit of family traffic, as well!

[mattie g]

15 hours ago, Its a Breeze said:

?

Maybe I'm misreading. Are you saying that when it's not dry and things are normal, people aren't concerned with drought? Um...yeah? Why would they be? What am I missing?

Like, if the sun isn't exploding, people aren't going to talk about the sun exploding. But if it is exploding, then they'll talk about it. Seems like common sense *shrugs*

 

Also, to the common man, I don't see anyone making a big deal out of this. Interesting, sure, but I have not seen one complaint about sunny and dry

Really the point I'm trying to make is that we don't really "drought." We get dry, but how often are things so bad that we need to think of it as a drought? And if we're like 5" below normal precip over a few months, people start talking about it, but if we're 5" above normal precip over a few months, there's virtually no discussion.

I'm definitely playing devil's advocate in here, but referring to dry periods as "drought" does trigger me

[mdhokie]

I thought I remembered some sort of water restrictions a long time ago, and found this archive from the WaPo circa 1999:
Washingtonpost.com: Drought Special Report

I was 19 at the time so didn't really care about water :). Thought the article had some good insight into what happens when we get dry. One thing people around here really don't think about are wells. Even here in howard county the entire western part of the county is not served by public water. Might be 20-25% of the county population.

[MN Transplant]

35 minutes ago, mattie g said:

Really the point I'm trying to make is that we don't really "drought." We get dry, but how often are things so bad that we need to think of it as a drought? And if we're like 5" below normal precip over a few months, people start talking about it, but if we're 5" above normal precip over a few months, there's virtually no discussion.

I'm definitely playing devil's advocate in here, but referring to dry periods as "drought" does trigger me

I think it is precisely because we are in a relatively wet part of the country and don't get droughts that the dry periods seem so anomalous.  Our vegetation is acclimated to regular precipitation and then there are H2O's water supply comments.

The concern arises if the dry pattern continues into summer.  That's where the evapotranspiration maxes out.  And the other problem is that as we go into later summer the chances for organized convection nearly vanish.  So, you get only spotty dry relief.

I guess I'm saying that this is a notable start to the year and could portend problems down the road, but a few well-placed systems could also bring us right back to normal.  So, only a slightly elevated level of concern so far.