Drought conditions continue to worsen in Middle Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A major drought is underway in portions of Middle Tennessee with dry conditions likely to persist as meteorological fall begins.

On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor was updated to reflect the dry conditions in region. The area with an “extreme drought” is centered over Lewis county, but also includes parts of Decatur, Hickman, Lawrence, Maury, Perry, and Wayne counties.

Also of note, the drought conditions are increasing to the northeast, almost encompassing the entire Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky region.

The drought is increasing due to intense heat and dry conditions. First, the amount of rain received since July 30, 2024 is very little for most areas in Middle Tennessee. The southwest counties have had well under one inch of rain (even less than half an inch or a quarter of an inch). Soil moisture due to the heat is also drying up.

The U.S. Drought Monitor officials said “the heat and dryness of this August have resulted in flash drought conditions. In Tennessee, drought impacts include pastures providing little to no feed, drying or dried up ponds, creek levels very low, complete or near crop failure.”

Fall season expectations

Based off climatology, the fall season (meteorological fall is September, October, & November) is Nashville’s driest months.

It is very likely that drought conditions will worsen in our region due to the lack of plentiful rainfall. The Climate Prediction Center’s outlook for the fall season calls for an equal chance of above normal, below normal, or normal rainfall. Temperatures are projected to be above normal.

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