Drought conditions improve slightly in Kanawha County, but severe to extreme conditions remain

Kanawha County remains under severe to extreme drought conditions, despite recent rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Helene.Photo byDan GoldonUnsplash

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Drought conditions in Kanawha County have improved slightly from the previous week, according to U.S. Drought Monitor data, but the situation remains severe to extreme throughout the local area.

The latest drought map released Thursday shows that western and central portions of Kanawha County have slipped from “exceptional” to “extreme” on the Monitor’s rating scale, partly due to the recent streak of rainfall. The storms were the product of Hurricane Helene, whose remnants pummeled the area for days.

The latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor was released on Thursday, Oct. 3.Photo byU.S. Drought Monitor

That same weather system brought death and devastation to parts of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee last week. Other parts of West Virginia were also affected by downed trees and property damage, which was still being cleared at week’s end.

Though the rainfall was much needed, it did little to alleviate the backlog of dry days that has resulted in the area’s ongoing drought. The eastern portions of the county continue to experience severe drought conditions, according to Monitor data.

The National Weather Service in Charleston predicts more rain for the region on Sunday. But the first half of the week will be dry, meteorologists say, with sun and fall-like temperatures anticipated through Wednesday.

Michael Ramsburg is a Kanawha County communities reporter. He can be reached at ramsburgreports@gmail.com or by calling 304-370-3067.