Orleans, WNY considered ‘abnormally dry’
Photo by Tom Rivers. The grass has turned yellow near the lift bridge in Eagle Harbor. This photo was taken on Sunday, a day after significant rainfall in the area.
Orleans County and Western New York are considered “abnormally dry” by the U.S. Drought Monitor. This is the first stage of drought intensity. Other parts of the state — the north country and a section of eastern New York — are in the next stage, moderate drought.
Part of Franklin County in the north country is in severe drought.
The Drought Monitor report was released last Thursday. Since then, Orleans County and WNY received significant rainfall on Saturday.
Last week the county endured six straight 90-degree days with not much rain until Saturday.
Map from U.S. Drought Monitor, which is a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
