The drought continues to worsen across Northeast Ohio. The U.S. Drought Monitor is a map released every Thursday (with data from Tuesday to Tuesday). It tracks drought across the U.S. Using five classifications:
- Abnormally dry (D0), which shows areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought
- Moderate Drought (D1)
- Severe Drought (D2)
- Extreme Drought (D3)
- Exceptional Drought (D4)
The weekly update to the United States Drought Monitor was issued on Thursday morning. Once again, a worsening drought continues to spread across our viewing area, Ohio, and the region.
Compare the map released last week (Sept. 3) to this week (Sept. 10) below. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, soil moisture in the southern and eastern Midwest is beginning to show signs of deeper-level drying, with no precipitation to provide relief.
The most noticeable change from last week to this week is the increase of moderate drought in our viewing area. Some 78% of Ohio is in at least a moderate drought, including several communities along and south of U.S. 30. Meanwhile, 42% of the state is now in severe drought, and nearly a quarter of the state is in extreme drought.
On the flip side, Lake County, much of Ashtabula, Geauga, and Summit counties are the only communities still not experiencing any drought. But that will likely change by next week.
LAST WEEK | THIS WEEK |
 News 5 Cleveland |  News 5 Cleveland |
The worsening drought is not a surprise. Northeast Ohio received solid rainfall totals last Friday but has been bone-dry since then. We need good soaking rains to help combat drought. Drought typically breeds more drought and can lead to a vicious cycle. This nasty cycle looks to continue for at least another week.
The next SLIM shot at rain holds off until the middle of next week. I will be honest, this rain chance is not high. There will likely be a coastal low pressure that rides along the East Coast of the United States. At this time, rainfall totals will be less than 0.25 inches as noted in the graphic below. Keep in mind, that this image shows rainfall totals for the next week, and it is very low for Ohio. The Power of 5 Weather Team will keep a close eye on this next system and update you about any changes we note over the next week.
Want the latest Power of 5 weather team updates wherever you go? Download the News 5 App free now: Apple|Android
Download the StormShield app for weather alerts on your iOS and Android device: Apple|Android
Click here to view our interactive radar.
Read and watch the latest Power of 5 forecast here.
Follow the News 5 Weather Team:
Mark Johnson: Facebook & Twitter
Trent Magill: Facebook & Twitter
