Southeastern, South Central Ohio currently in extreme drought, according to NOAA

A large portion of southeastern and south-central Ohio is currently in extreme drought conditions after an unusually hot and dry summer, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor .

The band of extreme drought stretches from Jefferson County on the state's eastern border to Highland County in southern Ohio. Pickaway County, just south of Columbus, is also experiencing extreme drought.

Under extreme drought conditions, lawns go dormant, soybeans are severely dry, crop yields are minimal, livestock need more supplemental hay, and they are distressed, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor .

Corn crops, soybeans, and pasture quality are currently at lows not seen since 2020, according to data from the USDA .

The last 30 days in the drought areas featured above-normal temperatures ranging from 1-4 degrees over the norm in and below-normal rainfall, with some small areas receiving no rain at all, according to data from the National Weather Service in Charleston .

The current drought is not a passing phase. It is expected to persist over the next three months, according to the Climate Prediction Center .

NHart@dispatch.com

@NathanRHart

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Southeastern, South Central Ohio currently in extreme drought, according to NOAA