February 1 2018

The US Drought Monitor has issued a statement highlighting Severe Drought conditions for our region. Some areas have some soggy ground from recent snow melt, but overall the snow and rainfall has amounted to the 2nd driest on record in Baltimore and Washington. We have had plenty of colder this winter, but a lack of moisture in weather events. The rainfall deficit is listed below, but in terms of snowfall we are ahead of last winter but below normal as we enter February.

Baltimore Snow:

This winter = 6.5″
Last winter = 0.7″
Normal to date = 10.2″

The good news is that our snowiest month is February (8 inch average) and records show we normally get an additional 10 inches of snow for the winter from this point forward. So there is hope. FITF

Rainfall Deficit

BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL (BWI)
----------------------------------------
Timeframe          Total         Departure          Ranking
----------------------------------------------------------------

January 2018       0.96 inch     -2.09 inches       5th driest
Dec 01 - Jan 31    1.91 inches   -4.51 inches       2nd driest
Nov 01 - Jan 31    4.06 inches   -5.66 inches       4th driest
Aug 01 - Jan 31   13.60 inches   -6.77 inches      10th driest
2/2017 - 1/2018   36.55 inches   -5.33 inches      28th driest
2/2016 - 1/2018   76.26 inches   -7.50 inches          N/A

According to NOAA: Soil moisture remains below normal roughly south of Interstate 70.
The worst conditions remain in the I-95 corridor between BWI and
Fredericksburg, centered on Washington DC. Modeled estimates of
soil moisture depict an area near the Potomac River south of DC
that is below the 2nd percentile for soil moisture.

WASHINGTON REAGAN NATIONAL (DCA)
--------------------------------
Timeframe          Total         Departure          Ranking
----------------------------------------------------------------

January 2018       0.94 inch     -1.87 inches       4th driest
Dec 01 - Jan 31    1.44 inches   -4.42 inches       2nd driest
Nov 01 - Jan 31    3.44 inches   -5.59 inches       2nd driest
Aug 01 - Jan 31   11.47 inches   -7.61 inches       6th driest
2/2017 - 1/2018   33.79 inches   -5.95 inches      22nd driest
2/2016 - 1/2018   65.56 inches  -13.92 inches          N/A

Drought Watch

State and Local Declarations:

A Drought Watch has also been declared by the Maryland Department
of the Environment (MDE) for its Western and Central regions,
which include Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Carroll, and
Harford Counties, as well as portions of Montgomery, Howard, and
Baltimore Counties that are not serviced by WSSC or Baltimore
City water systems.
A Drought Watch has been declared by the Virginia Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) for all of northern Virginia, except
for King George County, Highland County, and communities whose
water supplies come from the Potomac River or Occoquan Reservoir.

The weather outlook for the next two weeks remains colder and more stormy. This may help to make a dent in the ground water before the growing season. Stay tuned…

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