Will all of this rain relieve the region from drought?
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — After an abnormally dry October, rain has returned to the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. In some areas, especially west of I-95, heavy rain has totaled close to 10 inches, according to Doppler radar estimates. Storm reports from Thursday in Bulloch County state that water has started to pile up on certain low-lying roadways.
This heavy rainfall is due to several factors, the first being a boundary slowly moving into the southeast United States. This front separates cool and dry air from the northwest from warm, moist and unstable air across our region which allows for clouds and rain to form. Next, a trough of low pressure across our inland counties is acting as the focal point for lift.
As southeasterly winds across the area interact with this trough it causes air to rise. As the air rises, it cools and condenses moisture to form clouds and raindrops. Additionally, we are experiencing indirect impacts from Hurricane Rafael as the outer circulation is guiding tropical moisture into the area.
With all of this rain, the question remains: Will it help relieve the region from the ongoing drought?
To start answering this question, we first need to discuss how drought conditions are set up. Throughout October, an area of high pressure dominated the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and acted as a shield for incoming low-pressure systems, forcing them north into Canada. High pressure also leads to sinking air which acts against the formation of clouds and precipitation. As a result, a prolonged dry period set up and some locations across the country went over 20 days without seeing a drop of rain.
In the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry, this past October was tied for the third driest on record with only 0.06′′ of rain falling. This rain came on only six days across the month which led to the drought.
A drought can span weeks, months, to even years in some areas of the world, depending on the weather pattern and they can be very impactful on the environment and to our way of life. One of the main impacts is crop damage and water supply issues. The food and produce we shop for in grocery stores is heavily influenced by the weather and without adequate rainfall, crop yields are reduced which makes for a higher price of production resulting in more money out of your pocket.
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Additionally, a drought can have significant impacts on the environment such as an increased risk of wildfires. With inadequate rainfall, soil in our forests can dry up making it easier for fires to spread since vegetation and brush turn into a highly flammable fuel to the blaze. These wildfires not only impact the land but they can also result in habitat and species loss.
Over the next few days, the current rainfall will help to alleviate the drought temporarily. To stay out of a drought down the road, the weather pattern will need to shift and become more active.
