Drought in Virginia, November 1 to 30, 1998

This was the fifth month in a row that drought conditions were seen across Northern Virginia. Persistent high pressure over the Southeast U.S. forced rain producing low pressure systems to steer north of the region. Only 0.91 inches of rain fell at Reagan National Airport in Arlington County during the month of November, 2.19 inches below normal. Only one other year on record (1930) had come close to the lack of rainfall National Airport saw from July 1st to November 30th. The 5 month total at the airport was only 5.78 inches, 11.38 inches below normal. Similarly, 1.21 inches of rain fell at Dulles Airport in Loudoun County, 2.09 inches below normal. Other monthly rainfall totals from affected counties included 1.5 inches in Page, 1.0 in Orange and Rappahannock, 0.9 in Fauquier and Loudoun, 0.8 in Rockingham, 0.7 in Warren, and 0.4 in Shenandoah. Charlottesville in Albemarle County reported 1.2 inches, compared to the normal of 3.66 inches and only had a total of 11.15 inches of rain from July through November. Fairfax County had only 57% of its normal rainfall from July 1st to November 30th and Loudoun County had only 6.22 inches of rain during the same period. The independent cities of Fredericksburg, Waynesboro and Staunton received only 1.0 inches, Gore reported 0.5 inches, and Winchester reported only 0.3 inches during November.By the end of the month, the Ni Reservoir, main water supply in Spotsylvania County, had only backup reserve water left and was at a record low level. The county was forced to continue mandatory water restrictions and buy additional water from Stafford County. Many other communities across Northern Virginia instituted voluntary water restrictions during the month. Water from the Beaverdam Creek in Loudoun County was drained into the Goose Creek Reservoir to keep this major water supply for Loudoun and Fairfax Counties high enough to serve both areas. This drainage project caused an old bridge normally 15-20 feet below the water level of Beaverdam Creek to re-emerge. The agricultural community continued to suffer through the second worst drought in the past 100 years. By November 30th, 89% of topsoil moisture across the state was rated short or very short and 76% of pasture land was rated poor or very poor. This was the first year the Farm Service Agency had to make direct payments for grazing losses. The extended drought damaged root systems of grass and is expected to have an affect on next year's hay crop. Loudoun County reported one third of the winter hay reserve had already been fed to livestock by the end of November. Farmers were forced to dip into feed reserves early due to poor pasture land conditions. Warren County asked to be declared an agricultural disaster area during November, citing 107 farmers with 60-69% fall production losses and 100 farmers with losses between 40-60%. The hardest hit fall crops were barley, corn, hay, soybeans, tobacco, and wheat. The winter wheat crop across Northern Virginia also showed drought stress. Many plants were only 1/3 of their average size at the end of November.The drought has also contributed to a nearly unprecedented amount of forest and brush fires. Sixty-five fires were reported across Virginia between November 1st and 20th. A 300 acre fire burned in Nelson County, and over 2000 acres burned in the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests in Augusta County. Stafford County reported several significant brush fires during the month, and dozens of smaller fires burned in several other locations.